Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties, Inc.
Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties, Inc.
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Double Voting is Illegal! Message from Executive Director, NC State Board of Elections
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Voter Intimidation Prohibited by Law in NC
Count Down to November 3, 2020 Elections
EARY VOTING: Oct 15 - Oct. 31
- Registered voters may vote at any Early Voting site in their county.
- If you have missed the registration deadline 10/09/2020, and you have lived in your county for 30 days or more, you may register and vote the same day.
- You may drop off your completed Absentee Ballot at any early voting site in your county.
- Remember to sign the Absentee Ballot envelope and to have your witness sign the envelope and provide their address.
Check your county for Early Voting times and sites.
Orange County Durham County Chatham County
NC State Board of Elections Polling place safeguards (Voting and Coronavirus) and summarized in the graphic distributed by Orange County Board of Elections (Voting Safely)
Voters who received Absentee Ballots then change their minds and decide to vote in person simply need to destroy their absentee ballot they have at home after they have voted. If you signed up to use BallotTrax, see information below about Ballot Trax, you will receive a message after you voted that your absentee ballot was "SPOILED," which means your absentee ballot will be removed from the system by your local board of elections so no one else can vote it. You don't need permission, or to notify your local board of elections, that you voted in person.
While getting the message that your absentee ballot was "spoiled" may be disconcerting, the good news is this should provide you with additional confidence that the system works as designed to keep people from voting more than once. You can look up your voter status at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/ and look at the Absentee Ballot tab, and it will show your current “return” status, whether your absentee ballot was returned to your county election board and counted or if you voted at an early voting site … you need to wait until the day after you voted in person to see the updated status.
Important Information: Voting by Absentee Ballot (last day to request a ballot is Oct. 27)
- FAQs: Voting by Mail in North Carolina in 2020
- Requirements for Absentee Ballot Process
- Absentee Ballot Review Process
- Register to Vote by Mail
- Track Your Ballot by signing up for Ballot Trax. Voters will see one of several statuses, including Requested, when an absentee request form is received by the County Board of Election, and Accepted, when the returned ballot is accepted by the county board of elections. Accepted generally means the county board of elections has received the ballot, the return envelope has no apparent issues, and the ballot will be counted. If the county board of elections subsequently finds an issue (the envelope is opened and there is no ballot inside, for example) then that status will change and the voter will be contacted.
If you are voting by Absentee Ballot remember to sign your name on the Ballot Return Envelope. Witness and any helper must each sign and provide their address. Example: Ballot Return Envelope
- LWVNC Voter Information Videos and Voting FQA
- LWVODC's Voting Information Video. Access Passcode: w%H%+5df
- 10 Facts About Election Security in North Carolina
2020 General Election's Voting Schedule
- September 4, Date Absentee Voting Ballots Mailed
- October 9, Voter Registration Deadline
- October 15, Early Voting Begins. If you are not registered, you can register and vote at same time during Early Voting. See how below.
- October 27, 2020 Last Day to request Absentee Ballot
- October 31, Early Voting Ends
- November 3, Absentee Ballot Return in Person to County Board of Elections Deadline – 5:00 pm. If mailed, ballot must be postmarked by 11/3/2020 and received by 11/6/2020. $0.55 Return postage required.
- November 3, Election Day
- November 13, Canvass – 11:00 am
How to Same-Day Register and Vote During Early Voting Only
Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. A voter attests to their eligibility by completing and signing a North Carolina Voter Registration Application (Spanish version.) The voter must prove their residence by showing any of the following documents with their current name and address:
- North Carolina driver’s license
- Other photo identification issued by a government agency. Any government-issued photo ID is acceptable, provided that the card includes the voter's current name and address.
- A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing the voter’s name and address.
- A current college/university photo identification card paired with proof of campus habitation.
Within two business days of the person’s registration, the county board of elections will verify the registrant’s driver’s license or Social Security number, update the voter registration database, search for possible duplicate registrations, and begin to verify the registrant’s address by mail. The registrant’s ballot will be counted unless the county board of elections determines that he or she is not qualified to vote that ballot.
Voting is a Right
Voting is your chance to elect those who will make decisions about our economy, education, environment, and health care. Request an Absentee Ballot. Last day to request an Absentee Ballot is Oct. 27. If you have lived in your county for 30 days or more, you can register and vote at any Early Voting site in your county. Use VOTE411 to identify your voting location, your registration status, and candidates and their responses to important issues at the local, state and national levels. If you vote by mail (abseente votinging), you can Track Your Ballot.
- The right to vote is a fundamental principle of our democracy. Voting brings us all together as proud Americans. It’s one time whether you’re young or old, rich or poor, that we all have the same say.
- Our democracy is stronger when every eligible voter can cast a vote and have it count to better reflect who we are as a country. Voting is our chance to have a say over what happens to us, our families, and our community.
- We want our election system to be free, fair and accessible to all eligible voters. Casting your ballot in November shouldn’t mean having to choose between your health and your right to vote. Prepare for the upcoming election now by requesting a vote by mail ballot. It’s safe and secure and will ensure that your voice is heard on election day. Follow these steps:
- Register to vote
- Request a vote by mail ballot at your local Board of Elections (Chatham BOE, Durham BOE or Orange BOE)
- Confirm your voter registration, identify candidates on your Ballot, learn where candidates running for office in your community stand on the issue, and more at VOTE411.
- Complete your ballot well before election day.
- Mail your completed ballot back early, drop it off at an Early Voting site, or at your local Board of Elections (Chatham BOE, Durham BOE or Orange BOE) by November 3 before 5 pm.
- Track Your Ballot every step of the way.
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Voters can:
- Check your voter record at the State Board’s Voter Search Tool to find out whether your ballot was accepted by your county board of elections. This information will appear in the voter record after a ballot has been accepted.
- Sign up for BallotTrax, when it launches in the next few days, to track your ballot through the system. BallotTrax is a new service that will allow voters to track their ballot through the mail and confirm receipt by the county board of elections, much like they can track their online order or pizza delivery. When it launches, a link will be available at NCSBE.gov.
- Contact your county board of elections if you have questions about your ballot status.
The State Board office strongly discourages people from showing up at the polls on Election Day to check whether their absentee ballot was counted. That is not necessary, and it would lead to longer lines and the possibility of spreading COVID-19.
North Carolina elections officials encourage voters to request their ballot as soon as possible and return it as soon as they are ready to do so. By doing so, you can track your ballot and ensure your vote counts.
