Absentee by-mail voting in NC, a 2024 FAQ

Better late than never. The first batch of North Carolina absentee ballots were sent to some voters on Friday, Sept. 20, while the rest will be sent on Tuesday, Sept. 24. 

The mail out comes two weeks past the Sept. 6 statutory deadline and 46 days before Election Day, after last minute election litigation led to a full ballot reprinting. 

Absentee voters will have less time to receive, fill out and return their ballots before the Election Day deadline, so accuracy is as important as ever. 

Absentee by-mail voting can be convenient and accessible for voters who want to avoid lines, and exposure to potential illnesses like COVID-19, or want to vote on their own schedule. But it takes more planning, and can be a source of confusion for both those who use it and those who don’t.

So, what do you need to know? We answered some of the most common questions about absentee by-mail voting. 

How common is absentee voting? 

In the past three presidential elections, an average of 3.5 million North Carolina voters have cast absentee ballots. 

While absentee voting used to be the least used of the three voting methods — the other two being in-person early voting and Election Day voting — North Carolina saw an increase during the pandemic, State Board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said. 

As of Sept. 23, county boards of elections had received more than 207,600 absentee ballot requests, including more than 18,000 from overseas and military voters, according to the State Board of Elections.

Overseas and military voters had already returned 102 ballots electronically by Monday morning.

Who is eligible to vote by mail?

Any registered North Carolina voter can cast an absentee ballot. To register to vote in North Carolina, you must be a U.S. citizen and North Carolina resident. 

The deadline to register to vote is Friday, Oct. 11. Residents can apply online, in person at the DMV or print out the application and mail it to their county board of elections. To register, you need either a North Carolina driver’s license or a DMV-issued ID card, as well as your Social Security Number.

If you have neither, you can check a box on the registration form saying so, and may be able to cast a provisional ballot. 

There is one exception in North Carolina; those who haven’t registered by the deadline but still want to vote may go to a polling site during early voting for same-day registration. If they meet the eligibility criteria, those voters will then be able to cast a provisional ballot. Those ballots are subject to review by county boards of election during the post-election canvass period.

One exception to this exists in North Carolina: Those who haven’t registered by the deadline but still want to vote may go to a polling site during early voting for same-day registration. Those voters must present a HAVA document with their name and current address, show a photo ID and complete a voter registration application at the early voting polling site, according to State Board of Elections spokesperson Pat Gannon.

HAVA documents include current utility bills, bank statements, government checks, paychecks, another government document and documents issued from the institution that issued the voter’s photo ID. Voters can present their original documentation or a electronic or paper copy.

If a voter is able to show acceptable documentation, the county board of elections has two days to verify that they are eligible to vote before counting their vote.

If they are unable to show a HAVA document, they are offered a provisional ballot and must bring an acceptable document to their county board of elections office by 5 p.m. on Nov. 14.

To check your voter registration, visit the State Board of Elections website. You can also find your recorded address, sample ballot, voting location and voting record there. It’s possible to change your address within the same county while applying for an absentee ballot, but if you’ve moved outside of the county, you must update your voter registration before applying for an absentee ballot.

How do I get an absentee ballot?

There are two ways to request an absentee ballot. 

One option is filling out an online application. Any absentee voter can use this method, but there are special sections for overseas voters, voters in the active military, spouses or dependents of active military service members and visually impaired voters. 

The second option is to download the absentee ballot request form — in English or Spanish — and then either dropping it off to your county board in person or mailing it. You can find the address and contact information for your county board of elections at the State Board of Elections website. 

Voters cannot fax or email absentee ballot request forms to county boards of elections. 

In some circumstances, you can request absentee ballots on behalf of someone else. For most voters, only near relatives (spouses, siblings, parents or stepparents, mothers/fathers in law, children, stepchildren, sons/daughters in law, grandparents and grandchildren) can do so. 

However, voters who need assistance due to a disability may pick a person of their choosing. That person must fill out a special section detailing their name and address. 

What’s the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot? 

Voters have until 5 p.m. the Tuesday before Election Day to request an absentee ballot, which is Oct. 29 this year. 

However, the State Board of Elections and the United States Postal Service are telling voters to request them as soon as possible. 

“Making that request on Oct. 29 is going to be really hard on election officials to get that processed, back to the voter and then for the voter to have sufficient time to return it,” Brinson Bell said. 

If voters do request a ballot near the deadline, they should return it in person at an early voting site or at their county board of elections office instead of mailing it back, she added. 

“Otherwise, the Postal Service is saying they cannot assure that voter that it will be returned to the county board elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day,” she said. 

Overseas/military voters have longer to request absentee ballots. Since they can return ballots electronically, they can wait until 5 p.m. the day before Election Day to ask for an absentee ballot. 

When should I receive my absentee ballot?

There is no set time, but voters can track the status of their absentee ballots through BallotTrax, a free system used by North Carolina since 2020. 

Voters should call their county board of elections if they’re concerned their ballot got lost in the mail. 

Under state law, absentee ballots are supposed to be sent out 60 days before Election Day. That’s Sept. 6 this year, but Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s successful fight to get off North Carolina’s ballot delayed the process by a few weeks. 

Ballots will now be sent out Sept. 20 to overseas and military voters and Sept. 24 for everyone else. 

After the initial mailing, absentee ballots are sent out on a rolling basis. 

How do I fill out an absentee ballot correctly?

When you get your absentee ballot, don’t mark it right away. 

Voters need either two witnesses or one notary public to observe them while they mark their ballot. These witnesses should not see the actual vote, but rather confirm that the person who requested the absentee ballot is the same person who is marking it. 

Witnesses must be 18 or older, and cannot be candidates for political office, unless they are near relatives. If the voter is a patient or resident at a hospital, clinic, nursing home or adult care home, employees of that facility, elected officials, candidates and campaign managers and treasurers cannot be witnesses. 

After marking your ballot, seal it and place it in the envelope provided. Then, sign your name on the back of that envelope. Witnesses must also provide their full names, addresses and signatures. 

Nobody besides the voters may sign for them. If voters cannot physically write their signatures, they each may make a mark. Typed signatures are not permitted. 

However, voters may get assistance in filling out their ballots from near relatives or legal guardians. Assistants must fill out a special part of the form with their names and addresses. 

Next, attach a photocopy of an acceptable form of Photo ID or a photo ID exception form in the pocket on the outside of the ballot container envelope. 

Acceptable forms of ID include: North Carolina drivers licenses; DMV-issued non-operator IDs; drivers licenses from another state or territory if the voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election; approved student or employee IDs, U.S. passports, county board-issued photo IDs, military or veterans IDs with photos and tribal enrollment cards with photos. 

Photo ID exceptions include “reasonable impediments” like lost or stolen IDs, disability, illness and school or work schedules, religious objections to being photographed and being a victim of a natural disaster within 100 days before Election Day that was a state or nationally declared disaster. Yes, Tropical Storm Debby counts. 

After attaching your photo ID, place that envelope in the largest envelope, which you will seal and return to the county board of elections. 

What if I mess up?

Don’t panic. Tear the ballot up. If there is enough time before the election, you can request a new ballot from the county board of elections. Once you request a new one, your first ballot will not be accepted. 

If there isn’t much time, you can vote in person during early voting or on Election Day. 

What if I change my mind after I’ve sent my absentee ballot in?

Sorry, you’re out of luck. Once the county board of elections receives your ballot, you cannot change or cancel it. 

How do I turn in an absentee ballot?

Voters can return their absentee ballots in three ways. First, they can return via the United States Postal Service. Unfortunately, voters must pay for postage. 

USPS is advising voters to put their completed ballots in the mail at least a week before Election Day to make sure they gets to county elections officials in time to be counted. 

Second, they may use a commercial carrier service, like DHL, FedEx or UPS. Third, voters may opt to drop their absentee ballots off in person at the county board of elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day or at an early voting site in their county. Voters who use an early voting site will have to fill out a return log. 

In North Carolina, absentee ballot drop boxes are illegal. 

When is the deadline to turn in absentee ballots? 

The deadline for turning in absentee ballots is 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, regardless of the method used, regardless of the postmarked date. 

Near relatives and verifiable legal guardians may return absentee ballots on behalf of someone else, as well as whomever a voter with disabilities chooses as an assistant. 

Can I trust the USPS with my absentee ballot?

In mid-September, a group of elections officials across the country sent a letter to USPS Postmaster DeJoy expressing concerns about the USPS’ ability to handle the volume of election mail it may receive this election cycle. 

They highlighted inconsistent training for frontline USPS staff, long delivery times and an increase in mail incorrectly returned as undeliverable, which risks removing eligible voters from the voter rolls. 

Sara LaVere, the president of the North Carolina Association of Directors of Election, was one of the signers. Brinson Bell said the State Board endorsed the letter, and is working on their partnership with USPS. 

“We do see strong customer service from the folks here in North Carolina, who oversee our distribution centers and so forth,” she said. “But we do recognize that we have seen delays in our state. Many other states have seen more significant delays, and we don’t want that to be the case for our elections.” 

The best way to avoid issues is to request ballots early and either mail them back well before Election Day or return them in person. 

Can I track my absentee ballot?

Yes, you can use BallotTrax. 

When the county board of elections receives your absentee ballot, staff reviews the envelope with the signatures and photo ID for completeness. The county boards hold regular meetings in the weeks before the election to approve absentee ballots. They will not look inside the envelope where you marked your preferred candidates. 

In many counties, approved absentee ballots are inserted into the voting machine at the board meeting, according to the State Board of Elections. 

If your ballot is missing something, like a name or signature, the county board will return it with an explanation of the issue so you can fix it. This is one reason to provide your phone number or email address on the request form. 

Voters who cannot resolve the issue before the deadline can opt to vote in person instead. 

Absentee ballots that arrive at the county board of elections after 7:30 p.m. on Election Day are not counted, regardless of the postmark date. 

All absentee ballots are tabulated and reported at the same time as early voting and Election Day votes. 

Why were ballots delayed? 

After presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suspended his campaign, he attempted to get off the ballot in some battleground states, while remaining on the ballot in other, less electorally close states. 

However, when he attempted to remove himself from North Carolina’s ballot, he ran into resistance from the State Board of Elections. The Board voted along party lines to keep Kennedy on the ballot, citing “practicality” concerns like the cost and time of reprinting ballots after many had already been printed so close to North Carolina’s Sept. 6 deadline for sending the first batch out. 

Kennedy sued, and the case traveled through several courts in early September. On Sept. 9, the North Carolina Supreme Court sided with the North Carolina Court of Appeals, which had ordered the State Board to reprint ballots without Kennedy’s name. 

Elections officials had begun the work of re-coding, re-proofing and reprinting ballots after the Court of Appeals’ decision Friday, Sept. 6. 

The process took about two weeks. The State Board of Elections decided to focus on preparing absentee ballots for overseas and military voters first so elections officials could meet the Sept. 21 federal deadline. The Board helped counties whose print vendor orders would not be ready before the federal deadline by positioning special on-demand ballot printers across the state. 

Elections officials began sending overseas and military voters their absentee ballots on Sept. 20. Ballots for other voters who have requested them will be sent on Sept. 24, 42 days before Election Day. 

The absentee ballot return deadline remains the same — 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

“This schedule is only possible because of the hard work of elections professionals across this state that will continue throughout the next week,” Brinson Bell said. 

“Because of them, we expect to meet the federal deadline for ballot delivery, and North Carolinians can finally start voting in this important election.”

Reprinting ballot costs vary by county, but range from a few thousand dollars in smaller counties to $300,000 in Wake County, according to the State Board. 

At this point in 2020, Brinson Bell said nearly 252,000 ballots had been returned. 

Nonetheless, she said elections officials are committed to their jobs, even if it means more weekend and night shifts in the next few months. 

“We had to put forth that extra effort in 2020 to see that all voters were able to cast their ballot through a pandemic,” she said. “And this time around, it was a delay in voting, but we’re going to make sure that everyone is able to cast their ballot, whether they choose to do so by mail, during the in-person early voting period or on Election Day.” 

How do I know the by-mail voting process is secure? 

Elections officials take several steps to secure absentee voting. 

Absentee ballots are only sent to voters who request them using official channels. Request forms require private information like a voter’s drivers license or the last four digits of their Social Security Number, which is validated by election officials. 

Data detailing who requested absentee ballots is confidential until Election Day or the ballot is returned by the voter, reducing the ability of third parties to interfere with a voter’s ballot. 

Once a voter has sent their absentee ballot in, the county board marks them in the system as having voted. If they try to vote in person, they will not be allowed to vote on a regular ballot. 

Witnesses and signatures make it less likely that the person voting isn’t impersonating someone else. Bipartisan county boards of election review absentee ballot envelopes to make sure they comply with legal requirements, like the photo identification requirement. 

County boards also keep a detailed log of who drops off absentee ballots, and the state does not have any absentee ballots drop boxes. Candidates, political parties, county boards of elections, political and data scientists, advocacy groups and the media are all watching the process closely, offering many opportunities to detect anomalies and report them to election officials. 

Election night results are not official. After the polls close, a 10-day timer begins. During this 10-day certification period, county boards of election conduct several processes to ensure the integrity of the election. 

Elections officials input the names of people who checked in to vote and compare to the number of ballots cast. Brinson Bell said sometimes there is a “very, very small” difference, due to people checking in to vote but deciding not to. 

Officials also process provisional ballots, which includes doing research to figure out why a voter was not in the poll book and determining whether a voter is actually eligible. For example, voters who cast provisional ballots could have registered at the DMV recently, and their information wasn’t yet processed in the system. 

Each county has a portion of its ballots hand counted by bipartisan officials and compared to tabulator counts to ensure that the voting equipment worked correctly.

Finally, the State Board conducts a post-election audit to catch any inconsistencies. Harsh penalties exist for breaking the law. Committing election fraud or falsely completing the request form is a felony. 

Editor’s note: The section of the article dealing with eligibility to vote by mail in North Carolina has been updated to clarify and provide more detail about the state’s rules.

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