Decision 2020 voter guide
From where to vote, how to vote and election deadlines, we're answering your questions about the 2020 General Election.
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020, and WCNC Charlotte has a complete guide to everything you need to know before you head to the polls.
Important dates
North Carolina
- General Election Nov 3, 2020
- Early Voting: Oct 15, 2020 - Oct 31, 2020
- Voter Registration Deadline: Fri Oct 9, 2020
- Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot: Tue Oct 27, 2020
- Deadline to Return Completed Absentee Ballot: Tue Nov 3, 2020
South Carolina
- General Election Nov 3, 2020
- Early Voting: Not available
- Voter Registration Deadline: Mon Oct. 5, 2020
- Deadline to Request an Absentee Ballot: Oct. 30, 2020
- Deadline to Return Completed Absentee Ballot: Tue Nov 3, 2020
Am I registered to vote?
If you recently moved to the Charlotte area or you haven't voted in several years, the North Carolina State Board of Elections will tell you if you are registered to vote in North Carolina.
If you miss the North Carolina deadline for registering, you can still register to vote in person using same-day registration in your county from October 15 through October 31.
If you live in South Carolina, use this link to see if you are registered to vote.
South Carolina residents wishing to vote must register at least 30 days before the election, but the deadline is slightly different depending on how you register.
If registering online, the deadline is Sunday, October 4. If registering by mail, it must be postmarked by Monday, October 5. If registering in person though, the deadline is a few days earlier — Friday, October 2.
In South Carolina, residents can vote online, in person, or by mail/fax.
When is the deadline to register to vote?
North Carolina
The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina is Friday, October 9, 2020, which is 25 days before the election. If you are not registered in a county, you may register to vote during the one-stop early voting period. This process is called “Same-Day Registration.” Complete details on registering to vote in North Carolina and the qualifications you need to meet can be found on the North Carolina State Board of Elections web site.
North Carolina voters are not required to show photo ID. If you are a DMV customer with an N.C. driver’s license or DMV-issued ID, you may now register to vote or change certain parts of your registration online.
South Carolina
The deadline to register to vote in South Carolina is Monday, October 5, 2020, which is 30 days prior to the election. Complete details on registering to vote in South Carolina can be found on the South Carolina Election Commission web site. South Carolina voters can register to vote several ways:
- Register Online
- Register by Mail, email or fax
- Register in person
Where is my polling place?
Your polling place is based on the address you used to register to vote. To find your polling location in North Carolina, the North Carolina State Board of Elections has a polling place search.
To find your polling location in South Carolina, visit the South Carolina Election Commission web site.
Can I vote by absentee ballot?
North Carolina
All registered voters in North Carolina may request an absentee ballot for the November 2020 general election. No special circumstance or reason is needed to receive and vote a mail-in absentee ballot. The deadline to request an absentee ballot in North Carolina is Tuesday, October 27, 2020. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has information on how to request an absentee ballot.
On September 1, NCSBE debuted a new online portal where registered voters can request an absentee-by-mail ballot entirely online.
South Carolina
In previous years, voters in South Carolina would need to meet certain criteria to vote absentee in person or by mail. However, this year South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has signed a bill that essentially lets anyone who wants to vote absentee in November's general election.
The Senate approved the special one-time update to the law during a special session on September 2. On September 15, the House voted during a special session to approve rule changes. Then, on September 16, McMaster signed the bill.
The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot in South Carolina is 5 p.m. October 24 — the voter registration office must receive the application by that time.
USPS recommends that absentee voters should be mailing their ballots a full week before the due date, or there are no guarantees it’ll arrive on time.
Elections officials want voters to know that voting absentee doesn't require you to mail in your ballot, though. Voters can drop their ballots off in person.
Where to find absentee ballot drop-off locations
Absentee voters can return the completed ballot in person in South Carolina to your local county voter registration office by 7 p.m. on November 3.
You can also visit your county elections office to obtain and vote absentee in-person.
How early do I need to request a mail-in ballot?
In part due to the pandemic, political scientists believe there will be an increase in ballots cast by mail this year. Dr. Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College, said in 2016, less than 5% of ballots cast came through the mail. This year, he believes it could be over 20%.
This has led political scientists to worry it will put a strain on county boards of elections as well as the postal system. The USPS has already reportedly warned several states that mail-in ballot deadlines may be too tight to meet delivery standards.
“The Postal Service strongly recommends that jurisdictions immediately communicate and advise voters to request ballots at the earliest point allowable but no later than 15 days prior to the election date,” a USPS spokesperson said in a statement.
Michael Dickerson, Mecklenburg County Director of Elections, said Mecklenburg County voters can still request it seven days before as long as it's postmarked by Election Day and in his office by the Friday after the election.
USPS said voters should be mailing it a full week before the due date, or there are no guarantees it’ll arrive on time. Dickerson said if you request your ballot late, you can drop it off yourself instead of mailing it back.
What is early voting? How to find your early voting site
One-stop absentee voting (commonly known as "early voting") allows any registered voter to cast an absentee ballot in person on select days prior to Election Day in North Carolina. Unlike on Election Day, when registered voters can only vote at their specific precinct, one-stop voting allows registered voters to vote at any one-stop absentee voting site in the county. One-stop sites will have all the ballot styles for a given election at each site.
In North Carolina, early voting starts October 15, 2020, and ends October 31, 2020.
- Mecklenburg County: Early voting sites
- Gaston County: Early voting sites
- Union County, NC: Early voting sites
- Cabarrus County: Early voting sites
- Caldwell County: Early voting sites
- Catawba County: Early voting sites
- Iredell County: Early voting sites
- Lincoln County: Early voting sites
- Avery County: Early voting sites
- Alexander County: Early voting sites
- Anson County: Early voting sites
- Ashe County: Early voting sites
- Burke County: Early voting sites
- Cleveland County: Early voting sites
- Richmond County: Early voting sites
- Rowan County: Early voting sites
- Stanly County: Early voting sites
- Watauga County: Early voting sites
Find the One-Stop Sites in your County: One-stop Site Lookup
What's on the ballot?
The State Board of Elections has a sample ballot for North Carolina
The South Carolina Election Commission has a sample ballot for South Carolina