Are you registered to vote in the 2024 presidential election in NC? How to check status
Many North Carolinians are eligible to vote in this year’s local, state and federal elections.
But they can’t cast a ballot unless they’ve registered first. (The deadline to register for the Nov. 5 election is Oct. 11, for most voters.)
Checking voter registration status is an important step, but it doesn’t need to be time consuming.
Here’s how to do it.
How to check voter registration status in North Carolina
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has an online Voter Search, or voter lookup tool, which can be used to check whether you’re registered to vote.
- Access Voter Search at: vt.ncsbe.gov/Reg/Lkup
- Type in the voter’s first name and last name.
- If you want, you may also enter the voter’s year of birth and county.
- The “Registered” box is automatically selected in the Voter Status section, but selecting the “Removed or Denied” box will also bring up people who are not registered to vote.
- Click “Search” at the bottom of the page.
The website will pull up a list of names, along with their counties, city, state, ZIP codes and voter status. An “Active” or “Inactive” status means the person is registered to vote.
After searching for a voter, users can click on a name to view additional information including:
- Which city, county, school and state districts apply to the voter
- The voter’s assigned polling place for Election Day
- A sample ballot
- Ballots for those who voted by mail or during early voting
- Voting history
What does “inactive” voter registration status mean?
An inactive voter is still registered, but they will be asked to verify their address when they appear to vote. No documentation is required to prove residency.
If a county board of elections has not had any contact with a voter for two federal election cycles (four years), and a person hasn’t voted during that time, the voter will be sent a forwardable address confirmation mailing, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections. The voter has to return the confirmation mailing within 30 days, and if it’s not returned, or if the mailing is returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable, then the voter’s record is marked inactive.
If a county board of elections does not have any contact with an inactive voter for two more federal election cycles, then the voter is removed from the rolls. Once that happens, the voter needs to register again to vote.
How to register to vote in NC
To register to vote in North Carolina, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Live in the county where you’re registering and have resided there for at least 30 days before Election Day
- Be at least 18 years old by the date of the election
- Not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, post-release supervision or parole
There are several ways to register to vote:
- In person during early voting
- By mail
- Through NCDMV’s website or in person at the DMV
If registering by mail, download and print the NC Voter Registration Application (available in English or Spanish). Fill it out and sign it. Then mail it to the appropriate county board of elections.
When do you need to update your voter registration?
If you move or change your political party affiliation or name, you must update your voter registration. The changes must be made by the voter registration deadline, which is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 for the Tuesday, Nov. 5 election.
Existing NCDMV customers may use the online voter registration application to register to vote or update their voter registration address or party affiliation. But they can’t use the online application to change their name.
The voter registration application or the change form on the voter registration card may be used to update a voter’s name, address or party affiliation. These must be signed and mailed to the appropriate county board of elections.
