Published October 14, 2026 at 8:59 AM EDT

In-person early voting for North Carolina's 2026 general election starts Thursday. If you're looking to cast your ballot before election day, here's a few things to know.

Eligible voters may cast their ballots at any early voting site within the county where they are registered, from Thursday until 3 p.m. on Oct. 31.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has an online tool to help residents find their closest early voting site. To use it, head to vt.ncsbe.gov/EVSite and select the county in which you are registered to vote. The website will then display a map with directions to the sites.

North Carolina State Board of Elections

Voters can locate early voting sites in their county through the North Carolina State Board of Election's online tool, accessible at vt.ncsbe.gov/EVSite/.

If you missed the regular voter registration deadline of Oct. 9, you can still register and vote early on-site. To do so, you must show proof of residence by bringing a drivers license or other government document, paycheck, utility bill, or bank statement with your name and address to your early voting site.

Regardless of whether you're already registered or not, you must bring a photo ID to vote early. If you're a registered voter and don't have a photo ID, your county's board of elections can issue you a free one. To do so, start by selecting your county to find its contact information. Then, visit its board of elections during business hours.

You can not register to vote for the first time in a county and get a voter photo ID made at the same time. Residents can update their name or address within the same county at their early voting site.

Before heading to the early voting site, you may want to view a sample ballot. To do so, use the state Board of Elections's voter search tool at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.

Enter your information to view your voter details, and scroll down to the "Your Sample Ballot" section to confirm who's on your ballot.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections

The North Carolina State Board of Elections's Voter Search tool allows voters to check their registration and view a sample ballot for the 2026 general election.

Make sure to bring a photo ID when you go to the voting site. Election officials will be available to help, and curbside voting is available at every early voting site for those who are unable to enter due to age or physical disability. Voters may bring a near relative or legal guardian to help them vote. Some residents with disabilities may qualify for bringing other assistants to help cast their ballots.

All voters must respect other's right to vote; intimidating other voters is a crime, as is photographing or recording voted ballots.

Voters can also cast absentee ballots by mail or by handing the ballots off to election officials at their county's early voting sites. Follow these instructions to request an absentee ballot from the State Board of Elections.

Early voting concludes at 3 p.m. on October 31. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.