There’s still time to register to vote in North Carolina. Here’s what you need to know.
Hoping to vote this fall? First you’ve got to be registered to vote, and the deadline for that in North Carolina is coming up.
If you’re registering with your local county or state board of elections by mail, your application must be postmarked on or before Friday, Oct. 9. You’ll find a link to the application at www.ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register. If applying through the Division of Motor Vehicles, you must apply by day’s end Friday.
Here are answers to other commonly asked questions about voter registration.
Q: What if I miss Friday’s deadline?
A: You can still register to vote and cast your ballot at early voting sites in your county from Oct. 15 through Oct. 31. You’ll need to fill out a voter registration application at the site and have proof of residence, such as a driver’s license, government ID, bank statement, paycheck, current utility bill or a college ID card paired with proof of campus residency. To find a list of one-stop early voting sites in your county, go to vt.ncsbe.gov/ossite/.
Q: Who can register to vote in North Carolina?
A: You must be a U.S. citizen and live in the county in which you are registering for at least 30 days before the date of the election, which is Nov. 3. You must be at least 18 years old on Election Day to vote, though you don’t have to wait until you’re 18 to register.
Q: Do I have to register as a member of a particular political party?
A: North Carolina voters can choose to affiliate with one of five political parties — Constitution, Democrat, Green, Libertarian and Republican — or as “unafilliated,” meaning no party at all. In a general election like the one coming up, voters can choose any candidate they like regardless of party affiliation. But in a partisan primary, voters affiliated with a party can choose only among candidates in their party. Unaffiliated voters in those primaries can request a Democratic, Libertarian or Republican ballot, but not a ballot for the Constitution or Green parties, which have reserved their primaries for their registered voters.
Q: I think I may already be registered to vote. How can I find out for sure?
A: The State Board of Elections has a “voter search tool” that will let you check your voter registration. It can be found here: vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.
Q: What if I need to change something on my voter registration?
A: The same form you use to register can be used to update name, address, party affiliation and other information on your registration. The signed form must be received by the same deadlines as the initial registration.
Q: I’m a college student. Where should I register to vote?
A: College students have two choices: They may register and vote in the county where they lived before going off to school, or they can register in the county where they attend classes if they are physically present in the college community and do not plan to return to their former home after graduation. A new registration in the college town would cancel any previous registration. College students registering at an early voting site must bring a current school ID card and proof that they live on campus.
Q: I keep getting voter registration forms in the mail. Are these legitimate?
A: Organizations that want to encourage voting are sending out voter registration applications to make it easier for would-be voters. The registration form is probably the same one found on the State Board of Elections website, but the board urges people to look carefully before using them. This week, a company called Civitech disclosed that it had mailed pre-filled forms to about 11,000 people containing incorrect information, including names, addresses and dates of birth. Civitech said it was mailing corrected forms to those affected.
Q: Are people convicted of a serious crime allowed to vote in North Carolina?
A: Those who are serving a sentence for a felony conviction are not eligible to vote in North Carolina. That includes those in prison well as people on probation or parole or under post-release supervision. But there is one exception: Last month, a three-judge panel ruled that if the only reason a convicted felon is still on probation or parole is because they haven’t paid court costs, fees and fines, they can vote, at least for now.
