The general election is upon us once again. Hurricane Helene and the devastation it caused in the Western North Carolina region will have its impact especially in the counties that suffered extensive flooding and damages. North Carolina State Board of Elections are not planning to extend voting registration deadline on Friday, Oct. 11. This could change when the legislature meets on Oct. 9 to consider adjustments to state election laws and relief for Helene impacted communities.
North Carolina State Board of Elections spokesperson Patrick Gannon said in an AP story that election offices will process voter registration forms mailed by the deadline and received by Oct. 16. Voters can also register and vote during North Carolina’s in-person early voting period that starts Oct. 17. Those who don’t have photo ID to serve as a voter ID will still be able to vote using the photo ID Exception Form.
FEMA has designated 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Area across three counties in Western North Carolina as disaster area. Currently, five of these counties have an election office that are closed or working with limited capacities.
The landscape and legislation has changed since the 2020 election.
Voter ID
- North Carolina’s voter identification law is now in full effect across the state after passing SB824 in late 2018. North Carolina is one of 35 states that requires voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls in during early voting and election day.
- What will count as a ID:
- North Carolina driver’s license
- State ID from the NCDMV (also called “non-operator ID”)
- Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory (only if the voter is registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election)
- U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
- North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections (see Get a Free Voter Photo ID)
- College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections
- State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections
To obtain a voter identification card visit your local board of elections and a free card will be issued to you. For more information about voter identification requirements visit ncsbe.gov.
If you don’t have a valid ID when you come to vote you will still be able to vote. Those who do not have a valid ID may vote with an ID Exception Form and a provisional ballot, or vote with a provisional ballot and return to their county board of elections office with their photo ID by the Monday following Election Day, the day before Canvass day.
Voter registration
The deadline to register to vote is 5 p.m. on Oct. 11.
If you are not sure you are registered or where you registered you can check here. On the same link you can also find your ballot with all the names and positions that you will be voting for.
Voters may switch their registration online via mail or ask for assistance in the local board of election offices. People who have not registered can do same-day registration and voting at the polling place. During that period you can also vote where is most convenient for you not in the precinct where you are registered.
Absentee by mail in voting
For voters who cannot go to the polls, they can request an absentee ballot to be mailed to them. The mailing of absentee ballots was delayed to remove RFK Jr. and his party from the ballots. The first round of ballots was sent abroad on Sept. 21 and in-country Sept. 24. Absentee ballots can be requested until 5 p.m. Oct. 29.
For your absentee ballot to be counted, it must be delivered to the county you are registered to vote in by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5. To request an absentee ballot visit State Board of Election. To track where your ballot is click here.
Early voting starts on Thursday, Oct. 17, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 2. Polling locations during the early voting period differ from Election Day locations for each county.
Election Day falls on Tuesday, Nov. 5 this year. Same-day registration is not available during this time.
For more information on the election, visit ncsbe.gov.
If you are WCU student and voting on campus see more here.
Check where, when and how you can vote in: Haywood, Jackson , Macon and Swain counties and WCU.
Cora Haste & Marrah Ste. Marie contributed to the story.
