North Carolina: Election Tools, Deadlines, Dates, Rules, and Links

North Carolina voter registration

• Voter registration deadlines

  • In Person: The Saturday before Election Day if voting early in person. (Otherwise 25 days before Election Day.)
  • By Mail: Postmarked 25 days before Election Day. If the postmark is missing or unclear, the application will still be processed if it is received 20 days before Election Day.
  • Online: 25 days before Election Day.

• Election day registration

  Same day registration is generally only available during the early voting period, but not on Election Day. One of the following documents is required: a North Carolina driver's license, other photo identification issued by a government agency, a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing the voter’s name and address, a current college/university photo identification card paired with proof of campus habitation or other photo ID that has been approved for voting purposes. 

  Certain individuals that become qualified to vote between the registration deadline (the 25th day before Election Day) and Election Day may apply to register on Election Day by submitting an application to: a member of the county board of elections, the county director of elections, or the chief judge or a judge of the precinct in which the person is eligible to vote. If the application is approved, the individual may vote the same day. This applies to those individuals who recently become naturalized citizens of the U.S. or who have restored to citizenship after a felony conviction, but it does not apply to individuals who were 17 years old and reach 18 after the registration deadline.

• Voter registration rules

  To register in North Carolina you must:

  • Be a citizen of the United States;
  • Be a resident of North Carolina and the precinct in which you live for at least 30 days prior to Election Day;
  • 16- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote, but cannot vote until they are 18 (17-year-olds may vote in a primary election if they will be 18 at the time of the general election);
  • Not be currently serving a felony sentence, including probation, parole, or post-release supervision.

• How to register to vote in North Carolina

  1. Use our Register to Vote Tool to fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
  2. Sign and date your form. This is very important!
  3. Mail or hand-deliver your completed form to the address we provide.
  4. Make sure you register before the voter registration deadline.

• Registering with felony status

  If you have been convicted of a felony and have questions about whether you can register to vote, visit Restore Your Vote to determine your eligibility.