What you should know before you vote this fall

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, you must:

1. Be a US citizen
2. Live in the county in which you are registering and have lived there for at least 30 days before Election Day
3. You must be at least 18 years old or be so at the time of the general election
4. Do not serve any sentence for a crime, including probation, post-release supervision, or parole

The voter registration deadline in North Carolina is October 11th. You must register to vote by 5:00 p.m. to be eligible to vote on Election Day.

However, if you missed that deadline, according to the North Carolina State Board of Directors, “you may simultaneously register and vote at any early voting location in (your) county during the 17-day early voting period.” Elections Early voting begins October 17th and ends November 2nd.

Use the North Carolina State Board of Elections Early Voting Site Search to find early voting sites and schedules in your county.

All polling locations in North Carolina will be open Tuesday, November 5th from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. “Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be eligible to vote,” according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, all voters in North Carolina will be asked to show photo ID when voting.

Voters who are unable to show photo ID when voting may complete an “ID Exemption Form,” which allows for three permissible exceptions:

1. The voter has a “reasonable impediment” to providing photo ID. This means that something is preventing the voter from showing their ID. The voter must indicate their reason by selecting at least one of the ten options listed on the form.
2. The voter has religious objections to being photographed.
3. The voter was the victim of a natural disaster that resulted in a disaster declaration by the President of the United States or the Governor of North Carolina within 100 days of Election Day.

Here is the NCSBE list of acceptable photo IDs that have either not yet expired or have expired in a year or less:

• North Carolina driver's license
• NCDMV State ID (also called “Non-Operator ID”)
• Driver's license or non-driver's license from another state, District of Columbia, or U.S. territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election)
• US passport or US passport card
• North Carolina photo voter ID card issued by a county election authority
• Student identification card from a college or university approved by the State Board of Elections
• State or local government or charter school employee ID card approved by the State Board of Elections

The NCSBE notes that any voter who is 65 years of age or older “may use an expired acceptable ID if the ID had not yet expired on their 65th birthday.” Additionally, the following photo IDs may be used regardless of expiration or Date of issue can be used:

• U.S. government-issued military or veteran ID card (with photo).
• Tribal registration card (with photo) issued by a tribe recognized by the state of North Carolina or the federal government
• Identity card (with photograph) issued by an agency of the United States Government or the State of North Carolina for a public assistance program (Note: Although this is an acceptable form of identification under North Carolina law, the State Board is not aware of any such form of identification in circulation , which includes a photo. All voting IDs must have a photo.

The gathering has partnered with several news organizations providing quality local and regional reporting in various parts of the state during this election cycle: