Voting in upcoming elections
The voting schedule for 2024 in Forsyth County, North Carolina, has been set.
General Election Dates
- The general election will be Tuesday, Nov. 5.
- The voter registration deadline is Friday, Oct. 11; forms must be postmarked or delivered in person by 5 p.m.
- Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 17, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2.
Photo IDs
As with the 2023 municipal elections, voters in 2024 will be asked to show a photo
ID when voting in North Carolina. Voters must show an acceptable photo ID when they
check in at their voting site during early voting or on Election Day. Voters who vote
by mail (absentee-by-mail) must include a photocopy of an acceptable ID when returning
their ballot, or they may complete a Photo ID Exception Form.
Many types of identification – including driver licenses, U.S. passports, and state-approved
student/public employee IDs – will be accepted.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections approved 99 student and public employee
voter IDs, including UNCSA’s, for the 2024 primary and general elections. That means
all UNCSA students and employees may use their UNCSA photo IDs when voting. Newly approved cards will remain valid for use as a voter’s photo ID through Dec.
31, 2024.
If a voter does not have an acceptable photo ID, they can get one for free from their
county board of elections. Learn more at Get a Free Voter Photo ID. Voters can also get a free ID card from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV).
Find more information under "No-Fee ID Cards” at State IDs | NCDMV.
All voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. If a voter cannot show
photo ID when voting in person, they can still vote by filling out a Photo ID Exception
Form. If absentee-by-mail voters are unable to include a copy of their photo ID with
their ballot return envelope, they can also fill out an ID Exception Form with their
ballot. Find more information at ID Exceptions.
College students
A college or university student may register and vote in the county where they go to school if the student is physically present
in the school community and does not intend to return to his or her former home after
graduation. However, if the student intends to return to their former home after graduation,
then they should remain registered in their hometown. If the student does not know
where he or she will go after college, they may register in their college community
or remain registered at home.
Individuals who are not registered to vote in a county may register at early voting sites during the early voting period. After registering, the newly registered voter can
immediately vote at that same site. This process is called “same-day registration.”
Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they
live.
You can also request to vote by mail on the N.C. State Board of Elections website, or by submitting a completed and signed request form to your county board of elections
by mail or in person. You will receive a ballot and envelope in the mail to mail your
ballot to the county board of elections.
For more information, visit “Voting as a College Student in North Carolina” at the N.C. State Board of Elections website.
Voters should check their county board of elections website or vote411.org for polling place locations, sample ballots and candidate information.
You may also check out UNCSA's voting information page, which has FAQs about voting.