CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Voting in the 2024 general election is underway in North Carolina, and the State Board of Elections said as of Monday, Sept. 23, 102 ballots from military members and overseas voters have already been returned to be counted after the state sent them out Friday.
State Board of Elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell shared advice regarding voting absentee in the 2024 general election. She also reassured voters that absentee voting is secure and detailed several safeguards the BOE has in place.
The BOE will start sending absentee ballots to all voters who have requested them on Tuesday. The last day North Carolina voters can request an absentee ballot is Oct. 29, but Brinson Bell said people shouldn't procrastinate.
"Making that request on Oct. 29 is going to be really hard on election officials," she warned, highlighting the tight turnaround required for voters to receive and return their ballots by Election Day.
The United States Postal Service advised ballots should be mailed at least a week before Election Day, ideally earlier, to ensure it will be counted. The fact that the absentee ballots must be received by the county election boards by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day is a change from previous elections, where ballots only had to be postmarked by Election Day to be counted if it arrived within a certain time window.
“This change is critical for voters to understand so their vote is counted,” Brinson Bell added.
Also, absentee ballots must include either a copy of the voter's photo ID or a completed photo ID exception form, which is another new requirement for presidential elections.
Absentee voters don't have to mail their ballots. Then can also take them to their county's Board of Elections office or even drop them off at an early voting site when early voting begins on Oct. 17
Here are other important election deadlines:
- Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).
- Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
- Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).
- Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
- Nov. 5: General Election Day.
- Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (by 7:30 p.m.).
For those who want to track their ballots, North Carolina voters can use BallotTrax to get status updates on a ballot as it moves through the process.
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