You may not request an absentee ballot with an expired form.
Overview
On this page, learn about absentee-by-mail voting, including options for military and overseas voters, and blind and visually impaired voters.
Absentee-By-Mail Voting
Any North Carolina registered voter may request, receive, and vote a mail-in absentee ballot in elections where absentee voting is permitted. Absentee-by-mail voting is not permitted in some municipal elections. Learn about the municipal elections in 2023 at Upcoming Election.
Registered voters in North Carolina must request an absentee ballot with an official N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form. There are two ways to access and submit the form:
- Online:
- “Option 1 – Request an Absentee Ballot” at the N.C. Absentee Ballot Portal.
- On paper:
- 2023 N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form in English (fillable PDF)
- 2023 N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form in Spanish (download to come)
- After completing, submit the form to your county board of elections or in person or by mail via the U.S. Postal Service, DHL, FedEx, or UPS.
Track your absentee-by-mail ballot through the mail: Once you have requested your absentee ballot, you can track its status from printed to accepted by signing up online for status notifications through BallotTrax. BallotTrax will be available 30 days prior to each election in 2023.
Military and Overseas Voting
The federal Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allows certain voters an expedited means to register and vote by mail-in ballot. Find more information at Military and Overseas Voting.
Accessible Absentee Voting
If you are a blind or visually impaired voter in North Carolina, you can request, mark, and return an accessible absentee ballot online through a system that is compatible with screen readers and that allows for a digital or typed signature. Learn more at Accessible Absentee Voting.
If you live at a facility such as a hospital, clinic, or nursing home, find details about receiving assistance with mail-in voting and other services provided by a multipartisan assistance team (MAT) at Assistance for Voters in Care Facilities.
Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail
Voting by mail in North Carolina takes three simple steps — requesting, completing, and returning a ballot. Find more information at Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail.
FAQ
For answers to absentee-by-mail voting questions, visit FAQ: Voting by Mail.