How to register to vote in North Carolina

The information on this page applies to the November 3, 2020 General Election. Voting for that election has ended in all states.

Who can vote

To register in North Carolina you must:

be a citizen of the United States
have lived at the registered address for at least thirty days immediately before the next election at which you want to vote
be 18 years of age by the day of the next general election
have your rights of citizenship restored if you have been convicted of a felony and completed your felony sentence including probation, post release supervision, parole or a prison term
not be registered or vote in any other county or state
*find more information on voting rights restoration here

Online voter registration

North Carolina offers online voter registration for existing NCDMV customers.
You should know: you need a North Carolina driver’s license or DMV-issued ID number AND a social security number to use North Carolina’s online voter registration system. If you don't have these, you can still register by mail to vote. NOTE: Existing DMV customers may register to vote, update their voter registration address, or update their party affiliation. They may not change their name.

By-mail voter registration

Use the North Carolina voter registration form

You can also register to vote using the North Carolina voter registration form. Be sure to read the instructions carefully and fill it out completely. Send the completed form to your local election official

Use the National Voter Registration Form

Print and fill out the National Voter Registration Form.
Box 6 - ID Number: Provide your North Carolina driver's license number, or North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles ID number. If you do not have a driver's license, then list the last four digits of your Social Security number. If you have neither a North Carolina driver license, North Carolina DMV ID card or a social security number and you are registering to vote for the first time in North Carolina, attach a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address to this application.
Box 7 - Choice of Party: North Carolina does NOT require that you register with a party to participate in partisan primary elections. If you do not affiliate with a party you may choose to participate in the Democratic, Libertarian, or Republican party primary, or you may request a non-partisan ballot, if available. If you choose to register with a party you can only vote in that party's primary.
Box 8 - Race or Ethnic Group: You are required by the Federal Voting Rights Act to fill in this box. However, your application will not be rejected if you fail to do so.
Review the "Who can vote?" section above and check that you're eligible.
Sign the form.
Send the completed form to your local election official
If you are registering to vote for the first time in your jurisdiction and are mailing this registration application, Federal law requires you to show proof of identification the first time you vote. Proof of identification includes: A current and valid photo identification or A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document that shows your name and address. More information here.

Election Day registration

North Carolina does not offer registration on Election Day.

In-person voter registration

Due to COVID-19, in-person services may have limited availability. Contact your local election office to confirm. See CDC guidance on safe in-person registration and voting.

You can also register to vote in person. Contact your local election office for information on when and where to register to vote.
Learn more by visiting the State Board of Elections for North Carolina or contacting your local election official.

Get step-by-step help

If you’d like more help planning how to register, TurboVote can walk you through the process! They can also help you start the absentee/mail-in ballot request process, send you election reminders, and more.

Military and overseas voters

Active-duty military, their families, and overseas citizens can register to vote and request their absentee ballot using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA). The FPCA process is done by mail, but your state may offer other options to request and return ballots. Please contact your election official for more information about delivery and return methods, including email, fax, and state online portals. To follow the FPCA process:

Fill out the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA), or download a copy. Your election official may have questions, so please provide an email address or phone number where they can reach you.
Send the application to your election official.
It is never too early to submit an FPCA! Please do so as soon as possible.
Please fill out and send back your ballot as soon as you receive it.
States begin mailing absentee ballots at least 45 days before Election Day. If you haven't received your ballot by 30 days before Election Day, contact your local election office.

If after submitting your FPCA, your ballot does not arrive, contact your election official first. Then:

You can still vote using the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB). Print, sign, and mail your FWAB to your local election office.
If you mail a FWAB and then receive your regular absentee ballot, you may complete and mail your absentee ballot also. Election officials will ensure that only one ballot is counted.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program – FVAP.gov offers additional information on military and overseas voting in North Carolina. You can also call 1-800-438-VOTE or email vote@fvap.gov

Check your voter registration status

You can look up your voter registration record and verify that your information is correct using North Carolina's voter registration lookup tool.

Election contact information for North Carolina

Address:
State Board of Elections
Third floor, 430 N. Salisbury St.
Raleigh, NC 27603

Phone Number:
(919) 814-0700

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