NORTH CAROLINA PRIMARY: MARCH 5, 2024
You can vote right now in the North Carolina Presidential Primary Election. Find the information you need and resources on how to vote below. If you experience any issues casting your ballot on or before Election Day, contact the Election Protection Hotline for assistance AT 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683).
WHEN TO VOTE:
Vote by Mail: Absentee ballots may be returned by mail, commercial courier service, in person at your county board of elections office, or in person at an open early voting site. You may not return an absentee ballot to a polling place on Election Day. Ballots must be received at your county board of elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day to be counted regardless of whether or not they include a postmark.
Early Voting: In-person early voting for the 2024 primary election begins Thursday, Feb. 15, and ends at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 2.
Election Day: Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote.
Where can I vote?
You can find your polling locations or ballot drop boxes by visiting
Early Voting Polling Locations
Election Day Polling Locations
What is a primary election?
A primary election is where parties decide who to nominate as their candidate in the general election, which takes place in November. North Carolina is a “partially closed” primary state.
Each party has the ability to choose whether to allow unaffiliated voters or voters not registered with their party to participate in their primary. This year, unaffiliated voters may choose the ballot for the primary of whichever party they would like to participate in. Voters who are registered with a specific party have to participate in the primary of that party. This decision is made before the election cycle begins.
In a primary election, if a candidate does not win with 30% of the votes there will be a primary runoff election scheduled for a few weeks after the primary election date. The runoff election will have the top two candidates with the most votes to ensure that one of them receives the majority of the voters.
Any U.S. Citizens, at least 18 years old, who live in the county where they are registering, and will have resided there for at least 30 days prior to Election Day is eligible to vote.
CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION HERE
How can I prepare?
As a result of North Carolina Supreme Court’s reinstatement of the state’s voter ID law in April 2023, photo ID is now in effect for North Carolina voters.
Your ID must be unexpired or expired less than one year. It can be expired for any amount of time if you are over 65 and your ID expired after your 65th birthday.
You can cast a regular ballot if you present one of the following IDs: North Carolina driver license, North Carolina state ID card (also called a non-operators ID), US Passport or Passport Card, North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a County Board of Elections, North Carolina student ID card approved by the NC Board of Elections (list available here), Employee ID issued by North Carolina state or local government or charter school approved by the State Board of Elections. (list available here), and out-of-state driver’s license or ID card (only for use by voters who have registered to vote in North Carolina within 90 days of an election).
You can use the following IDs even if they do not have an issuance or expiration date: Military ID card issued by US Government, Veterans ID card issued by US Department of Veterans Affairs, and Tribal enrollment card.
The address on your photo ID does not have to match your address on your voter registration. The name on your photo ID must be the same as or “substantially equivalent” to the name on your voter registration record. If you don’t have an acceptable ID, you can still vote by signing a form.
Election protection hotline
If you experience any issues casting your ballot on or before Election Day, contact the Election Protection Hotline for assistance:
English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683)
Spanish: 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682)
Arabic: 844-YALLA-US (844-925-5287)
Bengali, Cantonese, Hindi, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog, Urdu, and Vietnamese: 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683)
