Acquiring Voter Registration Forms
Although voters cannot register online, here is a link to a printable voter registration form: https://www.ncsbe.gov/Portals/0/FilesP/NCVRRegFormv102013eng.pdf. For anyone who would like some, I have hundreds of voter registration forms in both English and Spanish available. Multiples can be ordered for home delivery within a week from the NC BoE here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdo-TG8rh_nlIsAqytWUK9KwbTiEegf0p6gjMLQGKFNjLN4dA/viewform.
Submitting Voter Registration Forms
Signed and completed voter registration forms can be returned to the BoE by mail or in-person only. These addresses are: PO Box 220, Hillsborough, NC, 27278, and 208 S. Cameron St., Hillsborough, NC, 27278, respectively. The last day to register to vote is 25 days before an election. All registration forms must be received or post-marked on or before October 11, 2019. However, voters can register at the polls (if they vote at the same time) during early voting. They must have a document proving their NC residency (where they are registering to vote) showing their name and current addressor such as a pay stub, utility bill, or bank statement, or an NC driver’s license, Passport, Military ID, or state-issued ID Card. They cannot register to vote for that election on the day of.
Acquiring Absentee Ballot Request Forms
Anyone can request absentee ballots for any specific primary or general in which they wish to vote absentee. Request forms can be obtained in-person at the BoE or filled out online here: https://nc-orangecounty.civicplus.com/1104/Absentee-Voting-By-Mail
Submitting Absentee Ballot Request Forms
“A signed and completed State Absentee Ballot *Request Form* must be received by your county board of elections no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last Tuesday prior to the date of the election for which the ballot is being requested…. The BoE will process the form and mail the voter a ballot, which the voter should complete, have witnessed, and return by mail.” (OC BoE) Absentee Ballot Request Forms may be submitted in-person to the BoE, scanned and emailed to vote@orangecountync.gov (no electronic signatures), faxed to 919-644-3318, or mailed to the PO Box above. They must be physically received (not post-marked) on or before October 29, 2019.
Voter Registration Tips:
- Photo ID will *not* be required in 2019, but will begin to be in 2020.
- Making sure someone is registered *at their current address* is key. Below are two links to voter registration lookup tools to quickly find people’s precinct, polling place or registered party. There is also a voter registration lookup hotline: (866) 522-4723.
- https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup (search by name)
- https://vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLkup (search by address)
- Info on military absentee voting:
- For students living on campus, the following link can help them determine their residential and mailing address: https://housing.unc.edu/residence-life/mail-and-packages/whats-my-address
- Check out the You Can Vote website at youcanvote.org. They are an NC-based, non-partisan voter outreach organization. I encourage you to check out their “resources” and “voter guide” sections. Here, you can find the PowerPoint of their training sessions and much more. There is also a “students” tab where you can navigate voting in or out of state with a college student.
- People who were convicted of a felony can re-register to vote after their entire sentence including any parole or probation is complete. No special documents are required. A simple one-page handout on additional details can be found here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5c6493eefb18207f45208219/t/5cd99cc7e2c483ef6757a4e5/1557765320012/Criminal+Justice+Voters+%289%29.pdf.
- Voter Hotlines for answers to questions. You can also text “”QUESTION” to 43-367.
- NC BoE: (866)-522-4723 Orange Co. BoE: (919) 245-2350
- Democratic Party: (833)-336-8683
- Democracy NC: (888) 687-8683
- Voter hotline in Spanish: (888) 839-8682
- If the constituent wants you to fill out the form for them, that is allowed, but they must sign, or mark an “x,” or make any mark, for themselves. No witnesses are required.
- Moving
- Voters must have lived in NC for at least 30 days.
- If someone has moved within NC during the last 30 days, they must go back to their old county to vote.
- If someone has moved within their same county, they can update their address and vote during early voting, or there is a mechanism for transferring polling places on Election Day.
- Residents of the Chapel Hill municipality can vote at any early voting polling place on the following schedule:
