Voting Equipment

Overview

On this page, find details about North Carolina’s voting systems certifications, documents, and more information about the voting systems used by all counties. Also, review Election Day voting equipment by county and one-stop early voting equipment by county within the interactive maps below.

Voting Systems Certification

Voting Systems Certification Manual (PDF) (Amended June 2019, March 2023)

  • Before any piece of election equipment can be used in North Carolina elections, it must be certified by the State Board of Elections.
  • This ensures that voting systems remain reliable, accurate, user-friendly, accessible to persons with disabilities, and capable of secure operation.
  • NCSBE administers a certification program for any election systems vendor looking to do business in North Carolina.

Pending Voting System Certifications

As of August 2023, there are no pending voting system certifications in North Carolina.

Certified Voting Systems Documents

The following voting systems products are approved for use in North Carolina. Currently, only systems from ES&S and Hart InterCivic are used by N.C. counties.

ES&S

Hart InterCivic

Clear Ballot

Voting Systems by County

  • Almost all N.C. voters use paper ballots, marked either by hand or with a ballot-marking device, providing a paper trail of all votes cast that can be audited or recounted by elections officials. (Note: Military and overseas voters, as well as visually impaired voters, may request, access, and return an absentee ballot using a designated online portal maintained by the State Board.)
  • All 100 counties comply with federal law by having ballot-marking devices available at every polling place for any voter who needs or wishes to use one to mark a ballot independently.
  • Voting systems from three different vendors – Clear Ballot, Election Systems and Software (ES&S), and Hart InterCivic are approved for use in N.C. elections. The systems of two vendors – ES&S and Hart – are currently used by N.C. counties.
  • North Carolina law requires that voting systems meet certain federal and state requirements. The federal requirements are found in Section 301 of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) (PDF). State requirements are found in sections 163-165.7, -165.8, -165.9, and -165.9A of the North Carolina General Statutes; in Chapter 4 of Title 8 of the North Carolina Administrative Code; and in the State Board’s Voting System Certification Manual (PDF).
  • All voting systems are certified by the State Board of Elections after undergoing mandatory testing by nationally accredited laboratories. All systems used in North Carolina have been tested, used, and audited in other states.
  • Federal EAC certification—to be distinguished from the federal requirements in Section 301 of HAVA—is not mandated for all voting systems by federal or state law. Nonetheless, as of 2017, per State Board policy, all newly certified voting systems must meet the standards set forth in the most recent version of the EAC’s Voluntary Voting System Guidelines (VVSG), which is the standard used to achieve federal EAC certification.
  • Each of the 100 county boards of elections, in conjunction with their county board of commissioners, decides which approved voting system will best serve their voters. County purchase of any new system may only come after public demonstrations of the equipment and test use in an election or simulated election.
  • Once certified as a voting system in North Carolina, the vendor must deposit the system’s source code with the state’s approved escrow agent, post a bond or line of credit (currently $17.01 million) to offset the cost of a new statewide election in the event of a defect in the voting system, and establish an office with support personnel in the state.
  • Under state law, voting equipment may not be connected to the internet or use wireless access, limiting the possibility of outside interference.

Election Day Voting Equipment by County

Interactive Map

For an alternative format to find the information in the map, review the table view below.

Table View

County Election Day Check-In Election Day Ballot Marking - ADA Election Day Ballot Marking - Standard Election Day Tabulator
Alamance Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Alexander Paper Pollbooks & NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Alleghany NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Anson NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Ashe EViD VR Systems ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Avery Paper Pollbooks & NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Beaufort NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Bertie NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Bladen NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Brunswick NCSBE OVRD Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Buncombe NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Burke NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Cabarrus NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Caldwell NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Camden NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Carteret NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Caswell Paper Pollbooks Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Catawba NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Chatham NCSBE OVRD Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Cherokee NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Chowan NCSBE OVRD Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Clay NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Cleveland Paper Pollbooks & NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Columbus NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Craven NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Cumberland NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Currituck Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Dare NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Davidson NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Davie Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Duplin NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Durham NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Edgecombe Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Forsyth Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Franklin Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Gaston Paper Pollbooks & EViD VR Systems ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Gates NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Graham NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Granville Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Greene NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Guilford Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Halifax EViD VR Systems ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Harnett NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Haywood NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Henderson NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Hertford NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Hoke NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Hyde EViD VR Systems ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Iredell Paper Pollbooks & NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Jackson NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Johnston NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Jones NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Lee NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Lenoir NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Lincoln Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Macon Paper Pollbooks Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Madison NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Martin Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
McDowell Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Mecklenburg Paper Pollbooks & EViD VR Systems ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Mitchell NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Montgomery NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Moore NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Nash EViD VR Systems ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
New Hanover NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Northampton NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Onslow NCSBE OVRD Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Orange NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pamlico NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pasquotank NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pender NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Perquimans NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Person NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pitt NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Polk NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Randolph NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Richmond NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Robeson NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Rockingham Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Rowan NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Rutherford NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Sampson EViD VR Systems ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Scotland NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Stanly NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Stokes Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Surry NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Swain NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Transylvania NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Tyrrell Paper Pollbooks ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Union NCSBE OVRD Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Vance Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Wake Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Warren EViD VR Systems ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Washington NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Watauga NCSBE OVRD ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Wayne NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Wilkes NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Wilson EViD VR Systems ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Yadkin NCSBE OVRD ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Yancey Paper Pollbooks ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200

One-Stop Early Voting Equipment by County

Interactive Map

For an alternative format to find the information in the map, review the table view below.

Table View

County One-Stop Ballot Marking - ADA One-Stop Ballot Marking - Standard One-Stop Tabulator
Alamance ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Alexander ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Alleghany ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Anson ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Ashe ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Avery ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Beaufort ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Bertie ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Bladen ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Brunswick Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Buncombe ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Burke ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Cabarrus ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Caldwell ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Camden ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Carteret ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Caswell Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Catawba ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Chatham Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Cherokee ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Chowan Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Clay ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Cleveland ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Columbus ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Craven ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Cumberland ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Currituck ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Dare ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Davidson ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Davie ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Duplin ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Durham ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Edgecombe ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Forsyth ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Franklin ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Gaston ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Gates ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Graham ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Granville ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Greene ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Guilford ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Halifax ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Harnett ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Haywood ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Henderson ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Hertford ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Hoke ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Hyde ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Iredell ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Jackson ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Johnston ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Jones ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Lee ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Lenoir ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Lincoln ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Macon Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Madison ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Martin ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
McDowell ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Mecklenburg ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Mitchell ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Montgomery ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Moore ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Nash ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
New Hanover ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Northampton ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Onslow Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Orange ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pamlico ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pasquotank ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pender ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Perquimans ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Person ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Pitt ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Polk ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Randolph ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Richmond ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Robeson ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Rockingham ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Rowan ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Rutherford ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Sampson ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Scotland ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Stanly ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Stokes ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Surry ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Swain ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Transylvania ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Tyrrell ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Union Hart Verity Touch Writer Hand-Marked Paper Ballot Hart Verity Scan
Vance ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Wake ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Warren ES&S ExpressVote ES&S ExpressVote ES&S DS200
Washington ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Watauga ES&S AutoMARK Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S M100
Wayne ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Wilkes ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Wilson ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Yadkin ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200
Yancey ES&S ExpressVote Hand-Marked Paper Ballot ES&S DS200