Early voting gets underway this week for the 2024 primary election. What do you need to know, if you want to cast your vote?
Read on!
What’s On My Ballot?
Primaries are partisan races, where political parties select their candidates to run in the November general election. You can only vote in one party’s primary, and it has to be the party that corresponds to your voter registration – but if you’re registered as an unaffiliated voter, you can choose whichever party’s ballot you want.
Your ballot will include every contested race, where there are multiple candidates running for your party’s nomination. The presidential election has occupied most of the public’s attention, but there are many offices up for grabs this year, including the governorship and lieutenant governorship; all elected Council of State seats; every seat in the state legislature; numerous judicial offices – and locally, multiple seats on the boards of county commissioners in Orange and Durham.
Orange and Durham Counties also have nonpartisan school board races: seven candidates are running for three seats on the Orange County Schools board, while four candidates are running for three seats in Durham. All residents in the Durham County Schools or Orange County Schools districts will be able to vote in their respective races, regardless of their party affiliation. (You can also request a nonpartisan ballot, and vote only for school board.)
Where And When Can I Vote?
Primary election day is Tuesday, March 5, but you have a couple weeks to vote ahead of time as well. The early-voting period begins on Thursday, February 15, and runs through Saturday, March 2.
In Orange County, there are six early voting sites: Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons, at 113 Mayo Street; the Chapel Hill Public Library; Chapel of the Cross at 304 E. Franklin Street; the Seymour Senior Center; 108 Bim Street in Carrboro (behind Carrboro Town Hall); and the Efland-Cheeks Community Center. Orange County voters can cast ballots at any of those locations. Polls will be open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, February 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday, February 25, from noon to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, March 2, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Click here for more information on early voting in Orange County.)
In Durham County, there are seven early voting sites: the Durham County Main Library downtown; the North Regional Library on Milton Road; the East Regional Library on Lick Creek Lane; the South Regional Library on Alston Avenue; the Karsh Alumni Center at Duke University; the Turner Law Building at NC Central University; and Eno River Unitarian Church on Garrett Road. Polls are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Sundays from 2-6 p.m.; and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (except Saturday, March 2, when polls close at 3:00 p.m.).
Click here for more information on early voting in Durham County.
In Chatham County, there are five early voting sites: the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro; the CCCC Health Science Building in Briar Chapel; the National Guard Armory in Siler City; Goldston Town Hall; and Hollands Chapel AME Zion Church on Burgess Road in Apex. Polls are open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, February 25, from noon to 3 p.m.; and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (except Saturday, March 2, when polls open at 8 a.m.).
If you choose to vote on March 5, you will have to go to your designated precinct. (You can cast a provisional ballot if you show up at the wrong precinct, but it’s best to save yourself the trouble.) Click here to look up your precinct information.
Is It Too Late to Register to Vote?
Not if you want to vote early! The deadline to register has passed if you wanted to vote on March 5, but you can register and vote on the same day during the early-voting period. You will need to provide proof of residence, which could include a driver’s license, a current utility bill, paycheck or bank statement, or another government-issued document that includes your address. (If you need to change the address on your voter registration, you can also do that during the early-voting period.)
Click here to check your voter-registration information. (You can also download a sample ballot here too.)
Click here for more information on same-day voter registration during the early-voting period.
Do I Need an ID to Vote?
Yes, you will need to show a photo ID in order to vote.
Acceptable photo IDs include: driver’s licenses; passports; military IDs; student IDs from Duke; student and employee IDs from UNC, Durham Tech and NC Central; and employee IDs from Orange County, Durham County, Chapel Hill and Hillsborough.
Click here for a full list of acceptable photo IDs.
You can also receive a free photo ID from your county elections office. Orange County’s office is located at 208 Cameron Street in Hillsborough; they’re open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Even if you show up to vote without a photo ID, you won’t be turned away! You will still be able to vote – but then to confirm your vote, you’ll have to bring a valid photo ID to your county elections office by 5 p.m. on the ninth day after Election Day (which is Thursday, March 14). You can also sign a Photo ID Exception Form, if there’s a reasonable impediment keeping you from providing a valid photo ID. (This would apply, for example, if you have a religious objection to being photographed, or if you were the victim of a recent natural disaster.)
Click here for more information about North Carolina’s photo-ID requirement.
Can I Still Vote By Mail?
Yes! If you want to vote by mail, you have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, February 27, to request an absentee ballot.
To request an absentee ballot online, click this link and follow the instructions.
You can also fill out a paper request and mail it into your county’s election office. Click here for a copy of the 2024 absentee ballot request form, which also includes a list of addresses for each county’s election office.
North Carolina’s photo-ID requirement also applies to voting by mail! Remember to include a copy of a valid photo ID when you return your ballot. (Or, if applicable, complete the exemption form, which will be provided with your ballot.) You’ll also need to have your ballot signed, either by two witnesses or one notary public.
Click here for more details on the process of voting by mail.
For even more information about voting by mail, click here.
Where Can I Learn More?
The Orange County, Durham County and Chatham County websites have more information that could be helpful to voters and residents during the general election cycle.
Click here for the Orange County elections site.
Click here for the Durham County elections site.
Click here for the Chatham County elections site.
Additionally, Orange County voters can text 919-246-8773 at any time to ask questions before they head to the polls.
You can also find more voter resources and information on the North Carolina Board of Elections website.
And stay up to date on local election news by visiting the Local Elections page on Chapelboro.com, where you’ll be able to read all our election coverage including introductions to the local candidates.
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