NEW: Cumberland County One-Stop Sites Announced - Click Here for Locations and Directions 

How to Register and Vote at a One-Stop Absentee Site

A North Carolina resident who is qualified to register to vote may register In-Person and vote at a One-Stop Site in the person's county of residence during the One-Stop Absentee Voting period. The One-Stop Voting period extends from 19 to 3 days before Election Day. The process is sometimes referred to as “In-Person Registration,” but it is important to recognize that it not permitted on Election Day itself.

To use this process, a citizen must (1) go to a One-Stop Voting Site in the county of residence during the One Stop Absentee Voting period, (2) fill out a voter registration application, and (3) provide proof of residency by showing the elections official an appropriate form of identification with the citizen’s current name and current address.  The new registrant may vote ONLY at a One-Stop Absentee Voting Site in the county of registration during One-Stop Absentee Voting period and not on Election Day.

Acceptable forms of identification include:

• A North Carolina driver’s license with current address
• A utility bill with name and current address
  • A telephone or mobile phone bill
  • An electric or gas bill
  • A cable television bill
  • A water or sewage bill
• A document with name and current address from a local, state, or U.S. government agency, such as:
  • A passport
  • A government-issued photo ID
  • U.S. military ID
  • A license to hunt, fish, own a gun, etc.
  • A property or other tax bill
  • Automotive or vehicle registration
  • Certified documentation of naturalization
  • A public housing or Social Service Agency document
  • A check, invoice, or letter from a government agency
  • A birth certificate
• A student photo ID along with a document from the school showing the student’s name and current address
• A paycheck or paycheck stub from an employer or a W-2 statement
• A bank statement or bank-issued credit card statement

FAQ

Q. If I am an unaffiliated voter can I vote in the primary election?

Yes.  If you are an unaffiliated voter you can choose to vote in the Democratic, Republican, or Unaffiliated Primary.  You must choose only one party's primary.  Participating in a partisan primary will not affect your status as an unaffiliated voter.  If you vote an unaffiliated ballot you will only vote for those offices that are non-partisan (i.e. Judges). 

Federal law does not require that Braille materials of any type be provided since Braille materials would in any event serve fewer than 10% of the blind population. However, a Braille template may be made available and provided upon request to the State Board of Elections office. Voter registration materials and ballot instructions are currently available in both English and Spanish.

Political activity conducted outside of the agency office will not be limited; however, the law specifically prohibits agency voter registration personnel from seeking to influence the applicant's selection of a political party affiliation. This includes the display of any political preference or party allegiance. In other words, agency voter registration personnel should refrain from displaying campaign signs, party buttons or pins, etc., during office hours or while serving in their official capacity as an agency voter registration employee.

Under federal law voting places must be accessible. However, in some instances a polling place may be inaccessible and a voter with a disability may utilize another option to cast his or her ballot on election day. (See satellite voting, transfer, and curbside voting.)

A voter needing assistance must make a request for assistance to the chief judge at the voting place. Qualified voters are entitled to assistance getting to and from the voting booth and in marking a ballot. A voter may receive assistance from a near relative or other person of the voter's choice (other than the voter's employer, an agent of the voter's employer, or an officer or agent of the voter's union). The rules and procedures for requesting assistance at the voting place are outlined in G.S.163-166.8. G.S. 163-166.8 (2) d. addresses assistance for voters who are blind. The other option for voters who have a disability is curbside voting. G.S. 163-166.9 allows qualified voters who are able to travel to the voting place, but because of age or disability cannot enter the voting enclosure, to mark a ballot from the vehicle.

Elections officials need a residence address to process a voter registration application. A mailing address is also necessary if it differs from the residence address. A residence, for voting purposes, is the same as domicile and is the place the voter calls "home" and intends to return whenever he or she is absent. In cases where giving the residence address may violate a client's right to privacy, we suggest using a street address with no identifier (for example, leave off the hospital or group home name). Information provided for voter registration is public record. The only confidential information is the agency in which the person applied for voter registration.

Q. Who can I contact if I am dissatisfied with the access I am granted to the elections process or the treatment provided to me by election workers?

Contact the Executive Director of the State Board of Elections office. The State Board of Elections has general supervisory authority over all elections conducted in the State. The State Board office will investigate any valid complaint regarding a county board’s failure to provide reasonable access to voting places.