Voting in North Carolina

Register to vote in North Carolina

Check if you’re registered

Even if you think you’re registered to vote, it’s always a good idea to double check. This is especially true since many people have moved since the last election. Click here to check your voter registration status in North Carolina, and make sure to update your address if it has changed.

Register to vote

Click here for a guide of how to register to vote on Duke campus

Can I register?

As a college student, you can register to vote in either the state where you are studying or your home state!

To register to vote in North Carolina, a prospective voter must meet all of the following qualifications:

• Must be a citizen of the United States.
• Must live in the county of their registration, and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election.
• Must be at least 18 years old. A prospective voter can submit a registration form if they are 16 or 17 years old, but may not vote until they are 18. If a voter will be 18 for the general election but 17 during the primary, they may vote in the primary.
• Must not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction (including probation or parole). If a prospective voter has previously been convicted of a felony, their citizenship rights are automatically restored but they must re-register to vote.

How can I register?

Online

If you have a North Carolina driver’s license or NCDMV-issued ID as well as your social security number, you can register to vote online here.

If you are a student, please consult this graphic (East Campus | West Campus | Off-Campus) as you fill out the application. Feel free to reach out to our Student Voting Coordinator with any questions about your registration.

By Mail

Fill out the North Carolina Voter Registration Application, making sure to fill it out and follow all instructions carefully. Print it out, and mail it to your county board of elections, which can be found here.

In Person

Your county board of elections will list locations where you can register in person until the registration deadline on October 14th.

Same-day registration will be available at polling locations during the early voting period from October 20 through November 5.  To register during the early voting period, you must complete a North Carolina Voter Registration Application as well as show an identifying document such as an NC driver’s license, a photo ID from a government agency, a student photo ID with a school document showing the student’s address or a utility bill, bank statement, payroll stub, or document from any government agency with your name and current address.

If you are a Duke student living on-campus, you will only need to provide your Duke ID when you register same-day when you vote early. No additional documents are required.

When can I register?

Through October 14th. Same-day registration will be available at polling locations during the early voting period from October 20 through November 5.

Register to vote through the NC DMV

Where do I register?

With your county board of elections.

Click here to find your North Carolina county board of elections.

Voting

What do I need to vote?

Voters are not required to show photo ID for the 2022 general election. A North Carolina superior court has permanently enjoined the law requiring photo ID for voting. Following a trial in April 2021, a three-judge panel in the Holmes v. Moore case concluded that the voter photo ID law violated the North Carolina Constitution. The court’s decision, which was issued on Sept. 17, 2021, means that voters are not required to show photo ID in elections in North Carolina. We will continue to monitor the status of voter ID requirements in North Carolina and will update this page accordingly.

If you are planning to register to vote during early voting, you will need to bring a document with proof of residency. This can be your Duke ID (if you live on campus), NC driver’s license, a photo ID from a government agency, or a utility bill, bank statement, payroll stub, or document from any government agency with your name and current address.

Where do I cast my ballot?

If you are voting early, your closest location will be Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center (2080 Duke University Road, Durham, NC 27708). That’s the first bus stop on the C1 going from East to West.

To find out the location of your polling place on Election Day, visit the North Carolina Board of Elections website or use the Board of Elections’ “Find My Polling Place” tool.

How do I vote?

To absentee vote

First, request an absentee ballot before the deadline on November 1. You can do so by either filling out the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Request form and mailing or emailing it to your county board of elections, or you can request it online through the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ Absentee Ballot Request Portal.

Once your absentee ballot arrives, complete it in the presence of a witness, seal your completed ballot, and have both you and your witness sign it. Then you can either turn in your ballot by dropping it off at your county board of elections, mailing it with a first-class stamp, or dropping it off at an early voting site during the early voting period from October 20 through November 5.

To early vote

From October 20 through November 5, you can vote at any early voting location in the county in which you are registered. Hours for early voting sites are as follows:

Thursday, October 20 – Friday, October 21	8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 22	8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 23	2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Monday, October 24 – Friday, October 28	8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 29	8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 30	2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Monday, October 31 – Friday, November 4	8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 5	8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Same-day voter registration will also be available during this time. Click here to find one-stop early voting sites in your county.

The closest early voting location to Duke is Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center (2080 Duke University Road, Durham, NC 27708). That’s the first bus stop on the C1 going from East to West.

You can find more information and a full list of sites in Durham County here.

To vote on Election Day

You may vote on election day, November 8th, at your assigned polling place in your county. Click here to find your polling place using your address.

When do I vote?

Early voting will take place from October 20 through November 5. Hours for early voting sites are as follows:

Thursday, October 20 – Friday, October 21	8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 22	8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 23	2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Monday, October 24 – Friday, October 28	8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 29	8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Sunday, October 30	2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Monday, October 31 – Friday, November 4	8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 5	8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Absentee-by-mail voting begins on Friday, September 9.

Election Day will take place on Tuesday, November 8th in 2022.