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Press Releases
North Carolina State Board of Elections officials will host an in-person and remote media availability at 11 a.m. Thursday, October 15, to discuss the start of the in-person early voting period for the 2026 general election.The event, for credentialed members of the media only, will be held at the State Board office on the third floor of the Dobbs Building, located at 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, N.C. 27603.State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes will offer brief remarks, then take questions from members of the media.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections will send letters this week to 1,392 registered voters identified as potential non-U.S. citizens through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database.
In-person early voting for the 2026 general election begins Thursday and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 in all North Carolina counties.Statewide, 370 early voting sites will open for general election voters. Early voting is popular in general elections. In the 2024 general election, 74% of voters cast their ballots during the early voting period; in 2022, 53% did.
Notice of MeetingThe State Board of Elections will hold an in-person meeting at 9 a.m. on Thursday, October 8, 2026, at the State Board of Elections offices, located on the third floor of the Dobbs Building, 430 N. Salisbury St., Raleigh, NC 27603.Any member of the public may observe the meeting in-person at the State Board office, or online or by phone using the information below:
Eligible individuals who want to cast their ballot by mail or on Election Day, Nov. 3, must register to vote by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9.Individuals who miss the deadline may register and vote during the early voting period at any early voting site in their county. These “same-day registrants” must attest to their eligibility, including U.S. citizenship, provide proof of where they live, and show an acceptable form of photo ID. The early voting period begins Oct. 15 and ends Oct. 31.
State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes issued the following statement on today’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling regarding the SAVE database:“The State Board welcomes today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. Both the United States Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution are clear: you must be a citizen of the United States to register and vote in our elections.
The State Board of Elections invites members of the public to comment on the State Board’s initial determination that nearly 30 existing administrative rules are still necessary.
Tuesday, September 15 is National Voter Registration Day.
The public comment period opens on Tuesday, Sept. 15 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16, 2026.