Early voting starts Thursday in Durham County. Here’s what to know.

Early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 12, in Durham County for the statewide primary election in less than three weeks on March 3.

Candidates are on the ballot for federal, state, judicial and local seats who hope to move on to the general election in November.

For Durham County voters, the races for sheriff, district attorney, clerk of superior court and four Board of Education districts are on the ballot.

Raleigh voters who live in the part of the city that sits in Durham County will be voting for two at-large seats in the primary and the top four finishers in the race will move on to the general election. Those voters will also cast ballots in November for mayor.

Like the city of Raleigh race, the Durham Public Schools Board of Education race is nonpartisan. There are four seats open on the seven member school board. Unlike the city of Raleigh race, the school board winners will be determined by the March 3 primary.

A full list of candidates for Durham County voters can be found here.

From Feb. 12-28, there are eight early-voting locations open for Durham County voters.

This election comes months after a busy city election for Durham voters where the mayor and three ward seats were selected. None of the Durham County commissioners are on the ballot this year.

In Durham County, 122,259 residents are registered Democrats, followed by 98,815 unaffiliated voters, 22,726 registered Republicans and just over 1,000 Libertarians.

In Durham County’s last primary election, in 2024, there was a 27% voter turnout with the majority of voters (33,457) opting to cast ballots on election day. That year, 29,129 residents voted early.

Dates to remember

• Early voting period: Feb. 12 to Feb. 28
• Absentee request deadline: Feb. 17
• Election Day: March 3
• Second primary (if needed): May 12
• Voter registration deadline for general: Oct. 9
• General Election early voting: Oct. 15 to Oct. 31
• Statewide General Election: Nov. 3

When and where can I vote?

Eligible voters can vote early at any of the eight locations during the early voting period. On Election Day, voters must cast their ballots at their assigned polling site.

Early voting schedule

• Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Feb. 14, 21, 28: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Sunday, Feb. 15 and 22: 2 to 6 p.m.

Early voting locations

• Duke University, Karsh Alumni Center, 2080 Duke University Road
• Durham County Board of Elections, 3825 S. Roxboro St.
• Durham County Main Library, 300 N. Roxboro St.
• East Regional Library, 211 Lick Creek Lane
• Eno River Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 4907 Garrett Road
• North Regional Library, 221 Milton Road
• NCCU, Turner Law Building, 640 Nelson St.
• South Regional Library, 4505 S. Alston Ave.

You can avoid long lines by using the Early Voting Locator and Wait-Times Dashboard on the county’s website dcovotes.com.

Can I register to vote and vote on the same day?

You can register to vote and cast your ballot on the same day during the early voting period. You need to bring any of the acceptable forms of identification like a driver’s license, passport or government issued ID, a bank statement, paycheck, or a current utility bill. Registering during the early voting period can help avoid any conflicts that could lead to a provisional ballot on Election Day.

Additionally, you can update your voter record if you moved within the county since the last time you voted.

Where can I look up my voter information?

The state Board of Elections and the Durham County Board of Elections make it easy for voters to find their information, sample ballots, candidates, important dates and voter precinct information.

To check your voter registration and sample ballot, visit vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.

How can I contact the Durham County BOE?

For any election questions, contact the county’s Board of Elections at 919-560-0700 or email elections@dconc.gov.

This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 6:01 AM.

Kristen Johnson

The News & Observer

919-829-4532

Kristen Johnson is a local government reporter covering Durham for The News & Observer. She previously covered Cary and western Wake County. Prior to coming home to the Triangle, she reported for The Fayetteville Observer and spent time covering politics and culture in Washington, D.C. She is an alumna of UNC at Charlotte and American University.