North Carolinians who want to cast their ballot in person on Primary Election Day — March 3 — must register to vote by Friday, Feb. 6.
Feb. 6 is also the deadline for registered voters to change their party affiliation before the primary. The regular voter registration deadline is 25 days before an election.
Eligible individuals may still register and vote during the early voting period at any early voting site in their county. The early voting period runs from Feb. 12-28. These “same-day registrants” must attest to their eligibility, provide proof of where they live, and show an acceptable form of photo ID. For more information, see Register in Person During Early Voting.
Early voting schedules are available at the Early Voting Sites Search.
Voter registration is prohibited on Election Day, unless an individual becomes eligible after the deadline by becoming a U.S. citizen or having their rights restored following a felony conviction.
“Eligible North Carolinians still have time to register to vote in these important primaries that will determine which candidates from each political party move on to the November election,” said State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes.
To check your voter registration information at any time, use the Voter Search tool.
How to Register
Eligible individuals may register in the following ways:
- Individuals with a North Carolina driver’s license or other NCDMV identification may submit a voter registration application online. Learn more at Complete Your Registration Online Through the DMV. Eligible individuals may also register in person at NCDMV offices.
- Eligible residents may complete a Voter Registration Application in English or Spanish on paper and return it to their county board of elections by 5 p.m. the day of the deadline:
NC Voter Registration Application in English (fillable PDF)
NC Voter Registration Application in Spanish (fillable PDF)
- Eligible individuals may also register to vote when applying for services at certain state agencies. Learn more at National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).
If an application is received after the deadline, it will be timely if postmarked on or before the deadline. If using the paper application and registering for the first time in your county, you must mail or deliver a signed application to your county board of elections.
The United States Postal Service recently clarified that postmarks are applied when the mail is processed at a processing facility, and this may not necessarily match the date on which the mail was collected by a letter carrier or dropped off at a post office. If an individual is mailing a voter registration form close to or on the deadline, they can ensure the postmark is applied the day they put their form in the mail. To do so, the individual should follow the USPS recommendation to request a manual postmark at the retail counter at the post office when dropping off their mail.
Requirements for Registering
To register to vote, a person must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Live at the residence they list on their registration form for 30 days before the date of the election.
- Be at least 18 years old or will be by the date of the general election. Seventeen-year-olds who will be 18 by the general election — Nov. 3 — may register and vote in the primary.
- Not be serving a felony sentence, including any probation, post-release supervision, or parole.
Updating a Registration
To update a voter registration, voters may use the NCDMV online service or a North Carolina voter registration application. Registered voters may also update their registration, except for their party affiliation, at an early voting site.
Voters with a North Carolina driver’s license or other NCDMV ID may update their address and party affiliation through the NCDMV online service. They may not change their name through that service.
If using the paper application to update a registration, it must be signed and mailed to the voter’s county board of elections by Feb. 6. Updates to name, address (if within the county), and party affiliation must be signed, but can be provided by fax or email to the voter’s county board of elections.
For more information on registering to vote in North Carolina, see Registering.
