Voters must use their assigned precinct, with photo ID exceptions and assistance available.
RALEIGH — North Carolina voters head to their assigned polling places Tuesday for the general election, with polls open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Anyone in line at their assigned polling place when voting closes will be allowed to cast a ballot, according to the State Board of Elections. The board’s Election Day guidance outlines identification requirements, assistance options and deadlines for voters who have not yet participated.
Election Day voting differs from early voting: Registered voters must go to their assigned precinct rather than choosing any early voting location in their county. The board’s online Voter Search and Election Day Polling Place Search tools provide location information.
Voters will be asked to show an acceptable photo ID. Those who cannot show one may vote provisionally and complete a Photo ID Exception Form explaining why. A voter who simply left an ID behind may retrieve it and return or cast a provisional ballot and present an acceptable ID to the county elections office by noon Nov. 10.
Regular voter registration is closed. Limited Election Day registration exceptions apply to people who became eligible after the Oct. 9 deadline through citizenship or restoration of rights following a felony conviction.
For voters using a standard absentee ballot, the county elections office must receive it by 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. The board says voters may deliver their ballot to that office by the deadline or discard it and vote in person instead.
Sample ballots are available through Voter Search. Voters who qualify for assistance can ask for help at their precinct, and curbside voting is available to eligible voters.
The board urges voters who feel harassed or intimidated to notify an election official immediately.
After voting, an individual’s participation may take several weeks to appear in the voter-history section of the state’s search tool while county officials complete their post-election work.
Editor’s note:
This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.