North Carolina’s Voting Period Has Begun: Here’s What to Know When Heading to the Polls
“At least 200 voters were lined up outside the Iredell County Board of Elections in downtown Statesville around 12:20 p.m. Thursday on opening day of early voting.” Source: Joe Marusak via The Charlotte Observer
While the deadline for voter registration in North Carolina ended on October 11, 2024, the effort to increase voter turnout continues as we near election day. Early voting began in NC on October 17, 2024, and will end at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 2, 2024. Early voting is the two-week period prior to election day where voters can cast their ballot at any voting site in the county in which they live. However, if you are voting on election day, you must vote at your designated precinct. Early voting is used to reduce congestion on election day, making lines at the polls shorter and allowing poll-workers to maximize their efforts.
While early voting reduces congestion at the polls, voters can avoid wait times altogether by voting by mail. This is also a great option for university students who may not be able to make it home to vote or experience other roadblocks getting to the polls. Any voter registered in North Carolina may request a mail-in absentee ballot. You may request a mail in ballot online or on paper (offered in both English and Spanish) by returning the request form to your county Board of Elections. The voter, a near relative, or a legal guardian of the voter can request the absentee ballot for them. Once a voter receives their ballot they must fill out their ballot, seal the ballot, sign the envelope in which the ballot is enclosed, have 2 witnesses or a public notary sign the envelope, include a copy of your photo ID, and finally, seal and mail the envelope to an early voting site or their county board office. Voters also have the option to return their mail-in ballot in person to an early voting site or the county board office. However, you cannot return your mail in ballot to a polling place on election day. Details for how to complete each of these steps can be found here.
During the early voting period, eligible individuals are able to register in person at a voting site in the county in which they reside. To enroll in same-day registration, an individual must meet the following requirements: be a U.S. citizen, live in the county where they are registering for at least 30 days prior to election day, be at least 18 years of age, and they cannot be serving a felony sentence. When utilizing same-day registration, individuals must provide proof of residence showing a current address. This can include, but is not limited to: a North Carolina drivers license, a passport, a utility bill, a bank statement, etc. Additionally, individuals using same-day registration will be asked to show an acceptable form of photo identification, which is required for all voters in North Carolina regardless of when you are registering.
In the spring of 2023, North Carolina enacted voter ID laws that were proposed in 2018 and 2019, joining 36 other states in requiring a photo ID to cast a vote. The most common form of photo identification used at the polls is a North Carolina drivers license, but there are many forms of photo identification that are accepted. Your identification must be unexpired or within a year of being expired. Most recently, the issue of student or university identification as an approved form of voter ID has come into question. The NC State Board of Elections, as of September 2024, approved The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s digital one card as a form of acceptable identification. This is the first digital ID to be approved by the BOE (Board of Elections). Previously, the state law required the use of physical cards. There are now over 100 educational institutions that the state board of elections has approved for student ID utilization as voter ID. To ensure an individual has the right identification when voting, the North Carolina State Board of Elections provides a detailed list of various types of identification that are accepted, which can be found here.
However, there are a few exceptions to presenting a photo ID when voting, and you may fill out an “ID Exception Form." The exceptions recognized by the state board of elections are that the voter has a “reasonable impediment” to showing a photo ID, the voter has a religious objection to being photographed, and the voter was a victim of a natural disaster within 100 days before Election Day that resulted in a disaster declaration by the President of the United States or the Governor of North Carolina.
On Friday, September 27th, Hurricane Helene hit the western region of North Carolina, affecting 25 counties. Helene ravaged the western part of the state, leaving more than 400 roads closed and over 200 people needing to be rescued from floods. Both President Joe Biden and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared Helene a disaster. Helene left behind 10 million cubic yards of debris, and as of October 13, 2024, 100,000 people in Western North Carolina are without running water. As we approach election day, it is hard to imagine what voting will look like for people in those affected counties. Within the 25 affected counties, there are over 1 million registered voters. In an attempt to improve voting access, the Western counties of North Carolina have made some changes to voting. The county board of elections for each county was given permission to move early voting and Election Day voting sites if they were damaged. In addition to this, people in the western part of the state have been given more time to request an absentee ballot along with more places to return absentee ballots. Voters in all 25 affected counties can now request or have a near relative request an absentee ballot until 5 p.m. on November 4th. Voters may also return their absentee ballot to any county office or state office, which is different from normal election rules that state you must return your ballot to a collection site in your own county.
As we approach the two-week mark prior to Election Day, voters in North Carolina have many ways to ensure their ballot is cast. With early voting and same-day registration available until November 2nd, North Carolina shows their commitment to giving everyone an opportunity to vote. The new voter ID requirements, including the acceptance of UNC Chapel Hill’s digital one card, mark significant changes for this election, along with the changes made to aid voters affected by Hurricane Helene.