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Voting in North Carolina
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| Voting in 2013 Primaries • Voting on November 5, 2013 Poll Opening and Closing Times Absentee voting • Early voting Open Primary • Closed Primary • Blanket Primary • Online voter registration in the 50 states |
Contents |
Registration
North Carolina uses a closed primary system, meaning voters must register with a party to be able to vote in their primary election.
To vote in North Carolina, you must meet the following requirements:[1]
- Must be a U.S. citizen.
- Must be a resident of North Carolina.
- Prior to voting, must be a resident of the county for at least 30 days prior to election day.
- Must be at least 18 years old or will be 18 by the date of the next general election.
- Must rescind any previous registration in another county or state.
- If previously convicted of a felony, the person’s citizenship rights must be restored (must not be serving an active sentence, including probation or parole).
When and where
The deadline to register to vote is 25 days before election day. Registration forms can be printed from the state website and are also available at county boards of elections’ offices, public libraries, high schools and college admissions offices. Voter registration services are also provided by the following agencies:[1]
- North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
- Public Assistance Agencies
- Departments of Social Services (DSS)
- Departments of Public Health (WIC)
- Disability Services Agencies
- Vocational Rehabilitation offices
- Departments of Services for the Blind
- Departments of Services for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
- Departments of Mental Health Services
- Employment Security Commission (ESC)
Online registration
As of May 2013, North Carolina is one of the 37 states that have not implemented online voter registration. North Carolina has bills pending in the 2013 legislative session which would authorize online voter registration. One bill was introduced in the North Carolina House of Representatives.[2]. A separate bill was introduced in the North Carolina Senate.[3]
Voting on election day
Voters are asked for their ID if they are first time voters who mailed in their registration application and did not provide verification of their identification.[4]
Poll times
- See also: State Poll Opening and Closing Times
In North Carolina, the polling places will be open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM Eastern Time.[5]
Proposed Changes
The 2013 North Carolina State Legislature is considering a bill that requires voters to show a state-issued ID in order to vote. If the bill becomes law, the changes would go into effect in 2016.[6][7]
| Bill | Introduced | House Vote | Senate Vote | Gubernatorial Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H 589 | April 14, 2013 in North Carolina House of Representatives |  on April 24, 2013, 81 to 36
|
Absentee voting
Eligibility
All voters are eligible to vote absentee in North Carolina. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting absentee.
Deadlines
To vote absentee, an absentee ballot application must be received by the election office at least 7 days prior to the election. The voted ballot must then be received by the elections office by 5pm on the day before the election.
Military and overseas voting
For full details, visit the Federal Voting Assistance Program here.
Early voting
North Carolina is one of 33 states that has early voting with no specific requirements as to who can vote early. Early voting begins on the 3rd Thursday prior to election day and ends on the Saturday prior to the election (19-3 days prior). The average number of days prior to an election that voters can cast an early ballot is 21 days in states with a definitive starting date.
See also
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Voter registration info
- ↑ Open States, HB 102
- ↑ Open States, SB 298
- ↑ Voter ID laws
- ↑ http://www.ncsbe.gov/content.aspx?id=61
- ↑ The Huffington Post,"North Carolina Voter ID Opponents React To Bill's Passage, Vow To Continue To Fight," April 25, 2013
- ↑ The Anson Record,"State House passes Voter ID bill; next stop is Senate approval," April 24, 2013
