With the upcoming election taking place in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are voting by mail for the first time.
And that means many people have questions about the different kinds of ballots available for voting.
To help you in requesting the correct ballots — and hitting your deadlines — we answer some common questions to help you make sure your vote is counted.
What you need to know about mail-in ballots: A guide from The News & Observer. Helen Mamo The News & Observer
What if there’s a problem with your mail-in ballot? A guide from The News & Observer. Helen Mamo The News & Observer
What is the difference between an absentee ballot and a mail-in ballot?
A lot of the time, the two terms are used interchangeably, but there are differences.
Absentee ballots are typically used when a voter is out-of-state on Election Day, therefore unable to physically go to their polling place.
Mail-in ballots are typically used when voters are in-state but want to send in an early vote from home rather than go to their local polling place on Election Day.
But the North Carolina State Board of Elections has clarified that in the state of North Carolina, any registered voter can request an absentee ballot by-mail without needing a reason.
So for the most part, these two terms refer to the same thing for residents of North Carolina. If you want to vote by mail in North Carolina, you must request an absentee ballot.
How do I get a mail-in/absentee ballot in NC?
The State Board of Elections has a detailed step by step guide on how to request and return a mailed absentee ballot in North Carolina. The five steps are:
Request the ballot. This can be done online through a portal or by filling out a form.
Submit your ballot request form. This step is for those who filled out the form instead of using the portal. Your form can be sent to your county board of elections in person, or by mail/email/fax. Deadline is October 27, 2020 at 5 p.m.
Once you receive your ballot, complete the ballot. This must be done in front of a witness, but the witness shouldn’t be so close that they can see who you’re voting for. They’re just there to verify that you, the voter, filled out the ballot.
Complete and sign the absentee ballot return envelope. Your witness needs to sign the back of the envelope and write their name and address. If you received help filling out or mailing the ballot, your assistant also needs to sign the Voter Assistant Certification on the back of the envelope along with their name and address.
Return your ballot to your county board of elections. You can do this through a commercial courier service (like UPS, FedEx, etc), by mail, drop it off in person at an early voting site in your county from October 15-31, or drop it off in person at your county board of elections by 5 p.m. November 3, 2020.
What are the mail-in/absentee ballot deadlines in NC?
In the state of North Carolina, voters must submit a request for an absentee ballot by mail by 5 p.m. Oct. 27, 2020. You may submit this request online, or fill out a form and return that to your county board of elections.
When it comes to deadlines for returning absentee ballots, details vary depending on how you choose to return your ballot.
By mail: Must be postmarked by November 3, 2020 and received by November 6, 2020.
Vote.org has provided a breakdown of North Carolina’s absentee ballot rules, deadlines and directions, as well as a section on how to track your ballot once it’s been sent off.
A guide from the NC Watchdog Reporting Network on returning your ballot. Helen Mamo, The News & Observer
I am being asked to fill out a provisional ballot. What does that mean?
This means there are questions about your eligibility to vote.
Filling out a provisional ballot ensures that you have the opportunity to cast a ballot until questions around your eligibility are resolved.
Here are a few of the reasons you might be asked to fill out a provisional ballot:
▪ Unreported move
▪ No acceptable ID
▪ No record of registration
▪ Incorrect precinct
▪ Unrecognized address
There are more details about provisional ballots on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website: ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.
This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 3:00 PM.
Helen Mamo is an ElectionSOS Fellow covering politics for the News & Observer. ElectionSOS is a program funded by Hearken. She attended the University of Maryland, College Park and grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland.
