How do I vote in NC? First, you must be registered to vote. To register in North Carolina you must be a citizen of the United States. You must live in the county where you are registering and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election. And, you must be 18 years old by the day of the next election. Now that you are registered to vote in North Carolina , yo an vote in person or by mail.
How do I vote in person? For starters, you can vote on Election Day. This year that will be on Tuesday, November 8th. If you are uncertain about where to vote on Election Day, go to VT.NCSBE.gov, the website for the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Here, you can look up your assigned polling place, and this assigned polling place is the ONLY place you can vote on Election Day. Alternatively, you can vote early in the great state of North Carolina. The early voting period for the 2022 general election begins Thursday, October 20, 2022 at 8AM, and ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday, November 5, 2022. During early voting, you may cast a ballot at any of the early voting sites in your county. In Carteret County, where I live, there are three early voting places. These are the Carteret County Board of Elections office at 1702 Live Oak St., Beaufort; Fort Benjamin Park at 100 McQueen Ave., Newport; and Western Park, 275 Old Highway 58, Cedar Point. Beginning Thursday October 20th, all three early voting places will be open WEEKDAYS, Monday through Friday, from 8AM to 7:30PM through Friday, November 4th. Additionally, all three polling places will open on Saturday, November 5th from 8AM to 3PM.
When you check in to vote at one of your early voting sites, you can update your name or address within the same county, if necessary. You may also choose to cast an absentee ballot. And, if you are not registered, you may register and vote immediately at that same site. Unsure of your registration status? Go to VT.NCSBE.gov and enter your information into the vote search engine.
When voting in person, if you've voted in North Carolina before, you don't need to show ID to vote. That’s because the Courts have ruled that the photo ID law violates North Carolina's constitution. There is one exception. For you first time voters, if you did not put your North Carolina driver license number or the last four digits of your social security number, on your registration application, you will be required to show proof of identification. Proof of identification includes current and valid photo identification, or a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address. Didn’t bring any ID? Not to worry. If you are a first time voter and don’t have an ID, you will still be able to vote a provisional ballot so long as you bring one of these documents to the board of elections in your county prior to the date of the general election.
How do I vote by mail? As a North Carolina registered voter, you may request, receive, and vote a mail-in absentee ballot. No special circumstance or reason is needed. The first step is to request an absentee ballot with an official N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form. There are two ways to access and submit the form. The first is to go online and request an absentee ballot through the NC Absentee Ballot portal at votebymail.NCSBE.gov. Your request is sent to your county board of elections office and when ballots are available for the election, your ballot will be mailed to the address you have provided. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5:00 PM the Tuesday before Election Day. If you are active military or you are a US citizen outside the United States, the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot is 5:00 PM the day before Election Day. While on this portal, you may also view a sample ballot showing the contests and candidates specific to your residency. You may also download and practice marking a sample ballot. Remember, this is only a sample and it is not your official ballot. The second way to request an absentee ballot is to fill out a N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022. You can download and print the form online or pick up a hard copy at your County Board of Elections. Whichever option you select, fill out the paper application completely and submit your request to your local election office. Again, your ballot will be mailed to the address you provided on your application. All you absentee voters, please note: You may not return your absentee ballot to a polling place on Election Day.
I urge every registered voter to vote in the next general election. Too many people have made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve your right. Do not disparage or belittle their sacrifices. Honor their sacrifices by voting on Election Day or during Early Voting or by Mail. Do not be taken in by all the nonsense being spewed about fake ballots and fraudulent elections. After all, even Donald Trump’s Homeland Security Department said that the 2020 election was the most secure in our country’s history. On that note, States should be taking steps to expand voting dates, not shrink them. After all, In a democracy, everyone should have the opportunity for his or her vote to count. Every vote matters. Especially yours. Just do it. VOTE. To learn more about the upcoming general election, please go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com or at Kindle.
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