Voter Registration and Voting in North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can register to vote?To register to vote in North Carolina you

must be:• a U.S. citizen• at least 18 years of age by the General

Election• NOT currently serving a felony sentence(You can also pre-register at age 16.)

I’ll be 18 soon. Can I register?If you are going to be 18 years of age by the General Election then you can register to vote. You can also vote in this year’s Primary before you turn 18.

Even if you won’t be 18 by the General Election, you can still pre-register to vote (using the same registration form) if you’re 16 or older.

Why does the voter registration form ask my race and ethnicity?North Carolina is a Voting Rights Act state, so the federal government monitors state voting patterns. Giving this information helps ensure that we have a fair registration and election process and that everyone has an equal right to vote. But, you’re not required to provide it.

Why do I need to provide my phone number on the form?

• While not required, providing a phone number gives the county board of elections another way to contact you if there is a question with your registration.

• We highly recommend that people conducting voter registration drives ask registrants to include their phone number on the form.

What if I have been convicted of a felony?

• In NC, once you have served all parts of your sentence, you automatically get your voting rights back.

• You do not need a special document that says your rights are restored, you simply need to register like anyone else.

What if I’ve been convicted of a misdemeanor?

• In NC, people convicted of misdemeanors never lose their voting rights.

• You can even vote absentee from jail if you are serving time for a misdemeanor.

What if I am registering a homeless person to vote?

• People without homes can register to vote. The rules can be somewhat confusing.

• If a person has an address where they sleep and receive mail, then they should list that address as their home and mailing address.

• If a person has an address where they receive mail but they sleep “outside”, then they need to list the mailing address and also draw a picture on the form for where they sleep as their ‘home’ address.

Do I need my I.D. to vote? You should take your I.D. with you to vote just in case.

But, you are only required to show I.D. if you are a newly registered voter and didn’t provide a state-issued I.D. number or the last 4-digits of your Social Security number on the voter registration form.

Do I need my voter registration card to vote?

No. But your voter registration card does have helpful information on it, like your polling place, voting precinct, and legislative and judicial district information.

Where is my polling place?There are three ways to find out:

1) Check your voter registration card 2) Call the State Board of Elections at 866-

522-4723

3) Go online to www.ncsbe.gov/PrecinctFinder.aspx

How do I find out if I’m registered?

1) Check online at http://www.ncsbe.gov or call your Board of Elections.

2) Or, just register today! If you’re already registered, your new registration won’t be processed. Check with the Board of Elections to confirm your status if you don’t get a voter registration card in the mail a few weeks after you register.

What if I’ve moved since the last time I voted?

You should re-register at your current address which will cancel your old registration.

Which party should I choose?You should choose a party that most closely aligns with your values, but you don’t have to choose one at all. If you don’t indicate a party affiliation on the form, you will be registered as “Unaffiliated.”

**Remember: As a registrar, you cannot tell someone which party they should register for. If asked you can answer questions about which party certain politicians belong to.

I didn’t get my voter registration card. What do I do?

1) You can always register to vote again today just to be sure that you are registered.

2) You can also call the County Board of Elections or search the NC State Board of Elections website at http://www.ncsbe.gov to see if you’re registered.

I registered but then got a letter asking me to mail something in

It probably had to do with providing identification that proves your current address. You can register to vote again today, call your County Board of Elections, or check on the NC Board of Elections website to see if you are registered.

Can unaffiliated voters vote in the Primary?

Yes, unaffiliated voters can vote in Primaries. When you go to vote during the Primary, just ask for whichever ballot (Republican or Democrat) you want.

Remember, you can only vote in one party’s Primary; not both.

Unaffiliated voters can also ask for a primary ballot only for non-partisan races (judges) and ballot referendums (amendments, bonds, etc.).

How do I get an absentee ballot?

• Write a letter to your County Board of Elections requesting ballots for the next election or full election year. • Include your name, residential address, and the address where you want to receive your ballots. Phone number and birth date are helpful, but not required.• Be sure to sign the letter! • If you are registered as Unaffiliated, you must declare which party’s Primary (Democrat or Republican) you wish to vote in.

Does my vote count if I vote absentee?

Yes, your vote will count just like everyone else’s.

You can double check the status of your absentee ballot at the State Board of Elections’ website under the “Check My Provisional Ballot” section.

Does my vote count if I early vote?

Yes, early votes count just like votes cast on Election Day.

What if I’m registering someone who is transgender?

Transgender people may face obstacles to registering or updating their voter registration. You can call the State Board of Elections at 866-522-4723 for guidance.

What if I’m registering someone who is in hiding from an abuser?

The Address Confidentiality Program or ACP (administrated by the state Attorney General’s office) will provide them with a substitute address and mail forwarding. In order to sign up, the person first needs to contact their local domestic violence agency or the NC Coalition Against Domestic Violence to set up an appointment with an ACP Application Assistant.

How do I know if the electronic voting machine counts my vote?

• There is a paper record of votes on electronic voting machines to verify that they are working correctly.

• The county Board of Elections is also required to perform random audits on voting machines to verify their accuracy.

Looking for More Info?

We’ve got all the information you need and more at our special elections website:

www.ncelectionconnection.com

The State Board of Elections website is also a great resource:

www.ncsbe.gov