To register to vote in North Carolina, you must meet the following requirements:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Reside in the county where you are registering and have lived there for at least 30 days before the election.
- Be at least 18 years old or will be 18 years old by the date of the general election.
- Sixteen and 17-year-olds can preregister.
- Seventeen-year-olds can vote in the primary election if they will be 18 by the general election.
- Not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, parole, or post-release supervision.
- NOTE: By court order, you may register and vote if you are on probation, post-release supervision or parole that has been extended, you have unpaid fines, fees or restitution and you are not aware of any other reason your probation, post-release supervision or parole has been extended.
- Once you have completed your felony sentence, including any probation, parole, or post-release supervision, or have been pardoned, you are eligible to register and vote. No additional paperwork is required.
- If you have been discharged from probation, you are eligible to register and vote, even if you still owe money or have civil debt.
- If you have any questions about your eligibility, it is best to check with your probation/parole officer.
North Carolina offers two primary ways to register to vote if you are eligible: register online through the North Carolina State Board of Elections website or register by mail by downloading and mailing in a voter registration application.
Already registered to vote? Check your registration status by entering your information into the N.C. State Board of Elections Voter Search Tool, also known as Voter Lookup. You will need to enter your First and Last Name. To narrow down search results, you may add other information, such as your birth year or county, but it’s optional.
With this tool, you will be able to find public information including: Voter Registration Status, Election Day Polling Place, Sample Ballots for Upcoming Elections, Voting District, Voting History (past elections you participated in).
In the event you need to cancel your voter registration, you must complete the Voter Registration Cancellation form and return it to the appropriate County Board of Elections office.
To notify the county board of elections of the death of a registered voter, complete the Notification of Deceased Voter form and return it to the appropriate County Board of Elections office. Only a relative or the personal representative of the deceased voter’s estate can complete the form.
North Carolina recognizes three political parties: Democratic Party, Libertarian Party and Republican Party. Voters may choose a political party or may decide not to affiliate with a political party. If a voter doesn’t affiliate with a political party, the voter will be registered as unaffiliated.
In a partisan primary election, voters affiliated with a political party can only vote for their party’s ballot and may not vote in another party’s primary. For example, a registered Libertarian can only vote in the Libertarian Party primary. Unaffiliated voters may choose a Democratic, Libertarian, Republican or nonpartisan ballot (if applicable) in a primary election.
In general elections, voters may vote for any candidate of their choice, regardless of party affiliation. North Carolina does not allow straight-ticket voting (also known as party-line voting). You can learn more information about the political parties in North Carolina through their websites.
If you are hosting a voter registration drive, please visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections – Hosting Voter Registration Drives website for more information.
