Vote Early in Person

Overview of Early Voting

The early voting period begins and ends before Election Day. Registered voters or eligible individuals in North Carolina may cast an absentee ballot in person during this time. This period is sometimes called “one-stop early voting.” 

During early voting, voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county, and would-be voters may same-day register and vote. This is different than Election Day, where registered voters must vote at their assigned polling place.

Unsure if you are registered? Find out if you are registered to vote by entering your information into the Voter Search.

2021 Early Voting Dates

Confirm the availability of early voting in your municipality at the 2021 Municipal Voter Tool. Find an overview of the 2021 municipal elections at Upcoming Election. 

Your Early Voting Site

Early voting sites and schedules for October municipal elections are posted to the One-Stop Early Voting Site Search. Early voting sites and schedules for November municipal elections will be posted to the early voting site search after October municipal elections.

Download printer-friendly versions of the sites and schedules for October and November municipal elections here:

• One-Stop Early Voting Sites for October 2021 Municipal Elections (PDF)
• One-Stop Early Voting Sites for November 2021 Municipal Elections (PDF)

The State Board asks that all voters respect the right of others to participate in the election. Intimidating any voter is a crime. Voters who feel harassed or intimidated should notify an election official immediately.

Your Sample Ballot

Registered voters may enter their information into the Voter Search to view their sample ballot. You must enter your voter information as there are about 2,000 different ballot styles across the state. You can practice making your voting selections with the accessible sample ballot: “Option 4” at the N.C. Absentee Ballot Portal.

Note: Sample ballots for each election are only available once finalized.

Same-Day Registration

When you check in to vote at an early voting site, you may update your name or address within the same county if necessary. Individuals who are not registered to vote in a county may register and immediately vote at that same site. This process is called “same-day registration.”

Want to learn more? Find more information on Register in Person During Early Voting.

COVID-19 Safeguards

Significant precautions will be made to protect voters and election officials against the transmission of coronavirus. These include enforcing social distancing, erecting barriers between election workers and voters at check-in tables, and more. For more information, please visit Voting and Coronavirus.

By-Mail Absentee Ballot Drop-Off

Voters who receive an absentee ballot by mail may deliver their ballot to an election official at a one-stop early voting site during any time that site is open for voting. Ballots will be kept securely and delivered to the county board of elections for processing.

Voting Equipment

To see what your county uses for one-stop early voting, go to the Voting Equipment page, and see the map for “One-Stop Early Voting Equipment, by County.”

Voter Assistance and Curbside Voting

Any voter who qualifies for assistance may ask for help at an early voting site. N.C.G.S. § 163-166.8. To find more information, visit Help for Voters with Disabilities. Curbside voting is available for eligible individuals. For more information, see Curbside Voting.

After You Vote

You can find that your vote counted in the “Your Absentee Ballot” section of the Voter Search database. Under North Carolina law, all early votes – by-mail or in-person – are considered absentee votes. Your ballot status also will show up in the “Voter History” section as soon as your county completes the post-election process of assigning voter history to your record. This may take a couple of weeks or longer.