10 Tips for Election Day Voters: 2026 General Election

Election Day for the 2026 midterm elections is Tuesday, Nov. 3. The State Board of Elections offers the following tips for voters heading to the polls that day:

1. Go to your assigned polling place on Election Day. Across North Carolina, more than 2,600 polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Voters in line at 7:30 p.m. will be able to cast a ballot. To find your polling place, use the Voter Search tool on the State Board website.
2. Find your sample ballot. Voters can use the State Board’s Voter Search tool to locate their sample ballot. Pull up your voter record, then scroll down to the “Your Sample Ballot” section. See Judicial Voter Guide: 2026 General Election for information on candidates for the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals.
3. Bring your photo ID. Voters will be asked to show photo ID at their polling place when they check in to vote. Most voters will show their driver’s license, but many other photo IDs are acceptable. For more information, including the full list of acceptable IDs, visit BringItNC.gov. If you have a photo ID but did not bring it, you can either get your ID and return to the voting site to vote a regular ballot or vote a provisional ballot and bring an acceptable ID to your county elections office by noon on Tuesday, Nov. 10. If you cannot show a photo ID when voting for some reason, you may cast a provisional ballot and fill out a Photo ID Exception Form to explain why.
4. Voter registration is not permitted on Election Day. While that is the general rule, voters who become eligible after the regular voter registration deadline (Oct. 9), either due to becoming a U.S. citizen or having their rights restored following a felony conviction, are permitted to register on Election Day.
5. If you still plan to cast an absentee ballot, act fast. The deadline for your county board of elections to receive your ballot is 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3. If you are unsure that the postal service or another delivery service will deliver your ballot by Tuesday, you can drop it off at your county board of elections during business hours, or at an early voting site in your county through 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, when early voting ends. You can also drop it off at your county board office until 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Or you can discard your absentee ballot and vote in person during the final days of early voting or on Election Day instead.
6. Provisional voting. If you show up to vote and your name is not on the voter list, you may request a provisional ballot. About 10 days after an election, voters who cast a provisional ballot can check the status of their ballot with the Provisional Search tool. Read more about Provisional Voting.
7. Voter assistance. Voters in need of help may bring an eligible person to help them enter and exit the polling place or complete their ballot. Election officials are also available to help voters. Curbside voting is available for voters if they are unable to enter the voting site without assistance due to age or physical disability. For more information, visit Curbside Voting.
8. No ballot photos. North Carolina law prohibits photographing or taking videos of voted ballots. Voters may use electronic devices, such as smartphones, in the voting booth to access candidate information. However, they may not use the devices to communicate with anyone or take photographs or videos of their ballot.
9. State and federal laws forbid intimidation or interference with voters. This includes hindering access to the voting place, whether inside or outside the voting site. It is also a crime to interfere with election officials carrying out their duties. Penalties for violations include prison time, fines, or both. The State Board takes these incidents very seriously. When they occur, election officials will work with law enforcement partners to respond. Voters who are harassed or intimidated should notify an election official immediately.
10. Unofficial election results will be posted on the State Board’s website. See the Election Results Dashboard. See the Election Night Reporting Timeline for information on when to expect unofficial results on election night.

For more information about voting on Election Day, see Vote in Person on Election Day