Absentee
ABSENTEE VOTING
If you aren’t going to be in town or are currently stationed out of town/state you may be able to vote absentee.
Who may vote absentee?
Any registered voter who expects to be out of the county on election day, or unable to go to the polls because of a physical illness or physical disability.
How do I apply for an absentee ballot?
Request by letter, or in person, or by a near relative an application for absentee ballots from your local Board of Elections office.
When can I apply for an absentee ballot?
Make a written request no later than the Tuesday prior to election day. You may one-stop vote in your local Board of Elections office until 5:00 PM on the Friday prior to election day.
How do I vote an absentee ballot?
Follow the instructions enclosed with the ballot. Return it to the Board of Elections in the envelope provided, either by mail or in person. IT MUST BE RECEIVED NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM ON THE DAY PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
If I become hospitalized shortly before the election, can I vote?
Call your local Board of Elections office for information if you become hospitalized
HOW TO REGISTER AND VOTE AT A ONE-STOP ABSENTEE SITE
A North Carolina resident who is qualified to vote but who misses the 25-day deadline for voter registration may register and vote at a One-Stop Site during the One-Stop Absentee Voting period. The One-Stop Voting period extends from 19 to 3 days before Election Day.
The process is sometimes referred to as “Same-Day Registration,” but it is important to recognize that it not permitted on Election Day itself.
To use this process, a citizen must
- Go to a One-Stop Voting Site in the county of residence during the One Stop Absentee Voting period,
- Fill out a voter registration application, and
- provide proof of residency by showing the elections official an appropriate form of identification with the citizen’s current name and current address. The new registrant may vote ONLY at a One-Stop Absentee Voting Site in the county of registration during One-Stop Absentee Voting period and not on Election Day.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
· A North Carolina driver’s license with current address
· A utility bill with name and current address
- A telephone or mobile phone bill
- An electric or gas bill
- A cable television bill
- A water or sewage bill
· A document with name and current address from a local, state, or U.S. government agency, such as:
- A passport
- A government-issued photo ID
- U.S. military ID
- A license to hunt, fish, own a gun, etc.
- A property or other tax bill
- Automotive or vehicle registration
- Certified documentation of naturalization
- A public housing or Social Service Agency document
- A check, invoice, or letter from a government agency
- A birth certificate
· A student photo ID along with a document from the school showing the student’s name and current address
· A paycheck or paycheck stub from an employer or a W-2 statement
· A bank statement or bank-issued credit card statement
If you cannot supply an acceptable form of identification for Proof-of-Residence, your registration application cannot be fully processed until the required information is provided.
Registered voters may also update their address and change vital information in an existing registration record at the One Stop Site, but they are not allowed to change their party affiliation during the One Stop Voting period that precedes a partisan primary.
