Register to Vote

Register to Vote

College students

You can register either at a home address or a campus address. For most students, it's easiest to vote in-person where you will be during Early Voting or on Election Day. You can request to vote by mail on the State Board of Elections website, or by submitting a completed and signed form to your county board of elections by mail or in person. You will receive a ballot and envelope in the mail in order to mail your ballot to your county board of elections.

Click here for state by state absentee ballot rules.

Registration and early voting

The voter registration deadline in North Carolina is 25 days before Election Day. This deadline is different for military and overseas citizens. Learn more at Voter Registration Deadlines.

Here are the voter registration deadlines for the 2024 elections in North Carolina:

  • Oct. 11, 2024, for the general election on Nov. 5, 2024.

For details about the 2024 elections, visit Upcoming Election.

If you miss the registration deadline, you may be eligible to register and vote or make changes to your voter registration (anything other than party affiliation) and vote during the early voting period. Learn more at Register in Person During Early Voting.

During the early voting period, voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county. This is different than Election Day, when registered voters must vote at their assigned polling place. During the early voting period, eligible individuals may also register to vote and vote at the same time (see Same-Day Registration below). For an overview of North Carolina’s current elections, visit Upcoming Election.

Early voting sites and schedules for the 2024 general election will be posted to the Early Voting Site Search when they become available.

Same-day registration

When you check in to vote at an early voting site, you may update your name or address within the same county if necessary. Individuals who are not registered to vote in a county may register and immediately vote at that same site. This process is called “same-day registration.” Find more information at Register in Person During Early Voting. Although same-day registration is available for voters during early voting, same-day registration is not available for most voters on Election Day.