Your Voice, Your Vote: Election 2024

It’s another big election year, with national, state, and local races on the ballot in 2024—and every vote can make a difference! Vance-Granville Community College wants our students, employees, and neighbors to be equipped and empowered to make their voices heard this November. The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) offers several ways to participate in elections, and voters can start making their plans to do so now.

Vote Early in Person

The in-person early voting period for the 2024 general election begins Thursday, October 17, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, November 2. During the early voting period, voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county of residence. This is different than Election Day, when registered voters must vote at their assigned polling place. Find early voting sites and schedules in your county at vt.ncsbe.gov/EVSite. (Please note that these sites change for each election, and site information is only available through the search tool once it is finalized.)

When you check in to vote at an early voting site, you may update your name or address within the same county if necessary. Eligible 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.” Although same-day registration is available for voters during early voting, same-day registration is not available for most voters on Election Day.

Voters registering during the early voting period must have resided in the county where they are registering for at least 30 days prior to Election Day. They must also provide proof of residence such as a current government-issued photo ID or government document. Learn more about acceptable proof of residence at ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register/register-person-during-early-voting.

Vote in Person on Election Day

The 2024 general election is Tuesday, November 5. Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. that day. The busiest times tend to be early in the morning and just before the polls close; avoid longer lines by voting at off-peak times. Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. on November 5 will be able to vote.

Unlike the early voting period, voters casting a ballot on Election Day must vote at their assigned polling place. Find your assigned Election Day polling place by entering your information into the Voter Search, or search using your address with the Election Day Polling Place Search.

The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina for the 2024 general election is Friday, October 11, at 5 p.m. Those who miss this deadline but still wish to vote in the 2024 election must do so via same-day registration during the early voting period (Thursday, October 17 – Saturday, November 2).

Vote by Mail

Any North Carolina registered voter may request, receive, and vote a mail-in absentee ballot where absentee voting is permitted. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, October 29.

Registered voters in North Carolina must request an absentee ballot with an official NC Absentee Ballot Request Form. There are two ways to access and submit the form:

• Online using the NC Absentee Ballot Portal
• On paper (available in English and Spanish)

County boards of elections will begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted a request form on September 6. [Update: As of Sept. 10, county boards of elections in North Carolina are working to produce new ballots for the 2024 general election without the We The People Party’s presidential ticket, following a state court decision. The exact date when all 100 counties will have new ballots ready to send to absentee voters is uncertain. Find more information in NCSBE’s press release.]

The deadline to return an absentee ballot is 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5 (Election Day). Voters who receive an absentee ballot by mail may deliver their ballot to their county board of elections office or to an election official at an 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.

Different absentee voting options may be available for voters who are military, overseas, blind, and/or visually impaired. Find more information at ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.

Important Tips for Voters

• Certain qualifications apply for those registering to vote in North Carolina, relating to age, citizenship, and more. Visit NCSBE’s Who Can Register page for detailed information.
• Voters can check to make sure their registration information is correct and up to date using the Voter Search tool. There you can also find your polling place, absentee ballot information, and more.
• Since voters residing in different areas have different local representatives, ballots may vary from one polling place to another. All eligible, registered voters will find their sample ballot in the “Your Sample Ballot” section of their Voter Search profile when they become available. For even-year elections, sample ballots are typically available 50 days before Election Day.
• North Carolina voters will be asked to show photo ID when they check in to vote. Registered voters can get a state ID card for free from their county board of elections or from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Find more information about what forms of ID are acceptable at ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id.
• Any voter who qualifies for assistance may ask for help at their polling place. To find more information, visit Help for Voters with Disabilities. Curbside voting is available for eligible individuals; for more information, see Curbside Voting.

Serve As an Election Worker

If you are interested in supporting democracy in your community, consider serving as a poll worker (also called an “election official”). Election officials operate the polls during early voting and on Election Day by providing services such as setting up the voting equipment, checking in voters, processing ballots, assisting voters with special needs, and securely closing the voting site at the end of the day. North Carolina poll workers receive payment for their dedication to elections. Learn more about poll worker qualifications and submit your interest form at ncsbe.gov/about-elections/get-involved-elections/become-election-official.

---

All information on this page is from the North Carolina State Board of Elections. Please direct any election-related questions to [email protected] or (919) 814-0700.