How to register to vote this fall

Note: Previous versions of this article included incorrect information about how to register.

The regular voter registration deadline for the November election is 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12. However, eligible individuals who missed that deadline may register and vote during the one-stop early voting period, which runs from Wednesday, Oct. 17 through Saturday, Nov. 3. Early voting locations and times vary by county.

Voter registration forms are available on the website of the State Board of Elections, www.ncsbe.gov, as well as at county boards of elections, DMV offices, public assistance agencies and public libraries, among other locations.

If you are registering to vote for the first time in your county of residence or changing your party affiliation, you must mail or deliver the application, with your original signature, to your county board of elections. County board information is available here: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo.

Wake County Board of Elections: P.O. Box 695, Raleigh, NC, 27602. Voter@wakegov.com.

Durham County Board of Elections: P.O. Box 868, Durham, NC, 27702. Elections@dconc.gov.

Orange County Board of Elections: P.O. Box 220, Hillsborough, NC, 27278. ORANGE.boe@ncsbe.gov.

Still deciding whether to register? Some college students told us why voting matters to them.

“Being able to register to vote, for one, it’s free, so why not? Even being able to have the opportunity to go and vote on anything, whether it’s something small for the city that you live in, or whether it’s nationwide, for the presidency or something like that, it still matters, because you never know what one vote can change. Traffic laws, road laws, construction — all that you get a say in, if you register to vote.” —Sarah Jimenez, 23, Raleigh.

“A lot of people complain about different policies in office, (but) I don’t think you should complain if you don’t vote.” —Jeremy Hiles, 22, Wake Forest.

“I think it’s important, especially since I’m young ... It’s important for us to be involved ... We’re the future, so we need to be the ones who go out and put in our input. Because it does matter.” —TyQwisha Gwynn, 19, Durham.

“Times are always changing, and the way that we as people think about policy is always changing, so registering to vote and ensuring that your voice is heard ... allows politics to reflect where we’re at as a society.” —Duncan Hales, 21, Chapel Hill.

This story was originally published August 13, 2018 at 3:14 PM.