Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15, in Burke and Caldwell counties as well as across North Carolina.
For Burke and Caldwell residents, a trip to the polls can be a stop after work or part of a Saturday’s errands rather than another obligation squeezed into Election Day. Starting Thursday, voters will have more than two weeks to find a time and place that work for them.
Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins Oct. 15 and continues through 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. Residents can cast their ballots at any early voting location in their county — and eligible residents who missed the regular registration deadline can still register and vote during the same visit.
BURKE COUNTY
Burke County will offer early voting at five locations:
- Burke County Board of Elections: 2128 S. Sterling St., Suite 100, Morganton
- Burke Senior Center: 501 N. Green St., Morganton
- Burke County Library/Senior Center: 101 Old N.C. 10 W., Hildebran
- Glen Alpine Town Hall: 103 Pitts St., Glen Alpine
- Rutherford College Town Hall: 980 Malcolm Blvd., Rutherford College
All five sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays Oct. 15-16, Oct. 19-23, and Oct. 26-30. Saturday voting will be available from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 24 and Oct. 31. Sites will be closed Oct. 17 and both Sundays during the early voting period.
For information, call the Burke County Board of Elections at 828-764-9010. Burke County Official Website
CALDWELL COUNTY
Caldwell County will offer early voting at two locations:
- Caldwell County Resource Center: 120 Hospital Ave. NE, Lenoir
- William B. Shuford Recreation Center: 56 Pinewood Road, Granite Falls
Both sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays Oct. 15-16, Oct. 19-23, and Oct. 26-30. Saturday voting will be available only Oct. 31, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sites will be closed the weekends of Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25.
For information, call the Caldwell County Board of Elections at 828-757-1342.
REGISTRATION & PHOTO ID
The regular voter registration deadline passed at 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, but eligible residents can still register and vote during the same visit to an early voting site in their county. Same-day registration generally is not available on Election Day.
To register on site, residents must complete a registration application and provide a document showing their name and current residential address. Examples include a current North Carolina driver’s license, utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government document. Proof-of-residence documents may be presented on paper or electronically.
Voters also will be asked to show an acceptable photo ID, such as a North Carolina driver’s license or DMV-issued ID, U.S. passport, or county-issued voter photo ID. State-approved student IDs and military or veterans photo IDs also are accepted. The address on the photo ID does not have to match the voter’s registration.
Free voter photo IDs are available from county elections offices during early voting. Voters unable to present acceptable identification can ask an election worker about voting a provisional ballot and completing a Photo ID Exception Form.
ELECTION DAY & OTHER OPTIONS
Election Day polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Unlike early voting, voters must cast their ballots at their designated precinct polling place. Anyone in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Residents can check their registration, find their Election Day polling place and review a sample ballot through the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ online Voter Search tool at ncsbe.gov.
The regular deadline to request an absentee-by-mail ballot is 5 p.m. Oct. 20. Completed ballots must be received by county elections officials by 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3; a postmark by that date is not sufficient.
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