A lot of people in North Carolina can vote in the neighborhood, state, and federal elections this year.
That being said, they can’t vote until they’ve registered. (For most people, the last day to sign up to vote on November 5 is October 11.)
It’s important to check your voter registration status, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of time.
This is how you do it.
How to check voter registration status in North Carolina
You can use the online Voter Search tool from the North Carolina State Board of Elections to see if you are registered to vote.
- Access Voter Search at: vt.ncsbe.gov/Reg/Lkup
- Type in the voter’s first name and last name.
- If you want, you may also enter the voter’s year of birth and county.
- The “Registered” box is automatically selected in the Voter Status section, but selecting the “Removed or Denied” box will also bring up people who are not registered to vote.
- Click “Search” at the bottom of the page.
The site will show a list of people with their counties, cities, states, ZIP codes, and whether they are registered to vote. This means that the person is registered to vote, whether the state is “Active” or “Inactive.”
Once a voter has been found, users can click on their name to see more details, such as:
- Which city, county, school and state districts apply to the voter
- The voter’s assigned polling place for Election Day
- A sample ballot
- Ballots for those who voted by mail or during early voting
- Voting history
What does “inactive” voter registration status mean?
A voter who hasn’t voted in a while is still registered, but when they go to vote, they will be asked to prove their location. No paperwork is needed to show that you live in the country.
A voter will be sent a forwardable address proof mailing if their county board of elections hasn’t heard from them in two federal election cycles (four years) and they haven’t voted during that time.
This is what the N.C. State Board of Elections says will happen. You have 30 days to return the confirmation letter. If you don’t, or if the U.S. Postal Service returns it as undeliverable, the voter’s record will be marked as inactive.
A person who hasn’t voted in two federal elections is taken off the books by the county board of elections if the board doesn’t hear from them again. The person will have to sign up to vote again after that.
How to register to vote in NC
To register to vote in North Carolina, you must meet the following requirements :
- Be a U.S. citizen
- Live in the county where you’re registering and have resided there for at least 30 days before Election Day
- Be at least 18 years old by the date of the election
- Not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, post-release supervision or parole
There are several ways to register to vote :
- In person during early voting
- By mail
- Through NCDMV’s website or in person at the DMV
You can download and print the NC Voter Registration Application in English or Spanish if you want to register by mail. Fill it out and sign it. Then send it by mail to the right county election board.
When do you need to update your voter registration?
You need to update your voter registration if you move, change your name, or join or leave a political party. The changes need to be made by Friday, Oct. 11, 5 p.m., which is also the last day to register to vote for the election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
People who already do business with the NCDMV can use the online voter registration application to sign up to vote or change their address or party affiliation on file. But they can’t change their name through the online form.
People who want to change their name, home, or political party can do so on the voter registration application or the change form on the voter registration card. You need to sign them and return them to the right county board of elections.
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