North Carolina’s primary election is Tuesday, March 5, and it is the first time many will show a photo ID to vote.
Voters are casting ballots in the presidential primary, statewide primary races including for North Carolina’s governor, judicial elections, and local primaries.
Polling places will open at 6:30 a.m. and will stay open until 7:30 p.m. on election day. Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote.
People without an ID such as a driver's license or passport can obtain a photo ID card from their local county board of elections.
If a person cannot produce an acceptable form of photo ID, they may vote in two different ways:
Complete an ID Exception Form and then vote with a provisional ballot; OR
Vote with a provisional ballot and then return to their local county Board of Elections office with their ID before the second Thursday following Election Day.
Learn more about the requirements for photo ID from the State Board of Elections:
Early voting wrapped up Saturday. But unlike in years past, you won’t see online reporting of early voting results quite as early once polls close on Tuesday night.
Under a new North Carolina law, county Boards of Elections have to wait until 7:30 p.m. on election night to tabulate early voting results.
Previously, North Carolinians were accustomed to seeing the state Board of Elections quickly post online the unofficial results of absentee ballots and early voting. The results typically would occur just as polls closed on election day. Now, there will be a longer wait to see the results.
“And that process can take 30 to 60 minutes, maybe even longer,” said Patrick Gannon, N.C. Board of Elections public information director. “So they'll have to do that process at the county board office and then they can tabulate the results and report them to the State Board of Elections where we publish them publicly.”
More information about election night can be found on the North Carolina State Board of Election website.
Issues on voters' minds during early voting
- "Women's rights, abortion rights, LGBTQ rights … All that is extremely important," said Katherine Lloyd, who voted this past Saturday at the Library in east Asheville with her son Cameron, a student at UNC Asheville. Cameron Lloyd said affordable housing was among the issues that top his list. "There are people, locals, natives who grew up in Asheville and they're getting driven out because of the increasing prices of housing. You know, a lot of it is due to the rising touristy aspect of Asheville... And, and so that's something for sure that we need to fix and work on."
- "I'd like to see more conservative people on the ballot or in offices. It’s a very liberal area. So I think we could use more conservative people," said Mark Totman, who had voted and was volunteering in the Republican Party tent at the Library in east Asheville on Saturday.
- "It's important that we all get out there and, and do our part and get people motivated to vote. And you don't always win, but you know, at least you're doing your part to get people out there and get people voting," said Dane Barringer, who lives in downtown Asheville and was volunteering for the Sierra Club at the Library in east Asheville on Saturday.
Information for primary races
Information regarding statewide races can be found in our election guide.
Find information about voting and your sample ballot by clicking on your county below. See the candidates who are running in your area.
Buncombe County Regional Guide
Henderson, McDowell, Polk Regional Guide
Haywood, Transylvania and Madison Regional Guide
Macon, Jackson and Swain Regional Guide
Cherokee, Clay, and Graham Regional Guide
Print a sample ballot to review your choices before you head to the polls:
- Cherokee County – sample ballots
- Clay County – sample ballots
- Macon County – sample ballots(Scroll left sidebar)
- Graham County – sample ballots
- Swain County – sample ballots
- Jackson County – sample ballots
- Haywood County – sample ballots (Under Quick Links on left sidebar)
- Transylvania County – sample ballots
- Buncombe County – sample ballots
- Henderson County – sample ballots
- McDowell County – sample ballots (Scroll to bottom left)
- Madison County – sample ballots
- Polk County – sample ballots
For more information, check out your local election board.
