Early voting begins for North Carolinaโs primary election, with voters able to cast ballots through Feb. 28 ahead of Election Day on Mar. 3.
MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. โ Early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 12, in North Carolinaโs primary election, giving voters across the state the opportunity to cast ballots starting at 8 a.m. at early voting sites in their counties.
According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the in-person early voting period runs through Saturday, Feb. 28, with polls closing at 3 p.m. on the final day. Election Day is Tuesday, Mar. 3.
This election is a party primary, meaning voters are deciding which candidates will advance to the November general election.
On the ballot are some of the biggest races this year, including the U.S. Senate, congressional contests, state legislative seats and a range of local offices, depending on where voters live.
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Because this is a primary, voters cast a ballot based on party affiliation.ย
Michael Dickerson, director of elections for the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, says unaffiliated voters can still take part by choosing which partyโs primary they want to vote in for the day.
โIf you’re unaffiliated, you get to choose whether or not I want to vote in the Democratic primary or the Republican Party, not both โ you get to choose one or the other and it’s just for that day,” Dickerson said. “It doesn’t change your registration; it just says that you want to vote in the Democratic or Republican primary.”
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Voters planning to vote in person should bring a photo ID to the polls. Acceptable IDs include a North Carolina driverโs license, a passport, a military or veterans ID, or certain college-issued photo IDs.ย
Election officials said voters who do not have an ID with them can still vote by completing a reasonable impediment form or by casting a provisional ballot and resolving the issue later.
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For voters who prefer to vote by mail, absentee ballots are available by request.ย
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, Feb. 17. Completed absentee ballots must be received by county election offices by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Mar. 3, to be counted.
Voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county, and same-day registration is available during the early voting period.
To find early voting locations, hours, a sample ballot, or information on requesting an absentee ballot, go to theย state board of elections website.
Contact Destiny Richards at drichards5@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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