One week into the early voting period, the Board of Elections is sharing important reminders for voters heading to the polls. The N.C. State Board of Elections recently shared this news release outlining 12 lessons from the first few days of early voting.
“We have seen record-breaking turnout so far at our 22 early voting locations,” said Wake County Elections Director Olivia McCall. “This being the busiest election in county history, we want to make sure everyone is informed about the process and has a smooth voting experience.”
Wake County has created a wait time tracker and an interactive map to help voters avoid long lines and find the most convenient early voting locations to their address.
Curbside voting is available at every voting location for eligible voters who cannot enter the voting place due to age or physical disability. Officials may only assist one curbside voter at a time to ensure each voter is properly processed. Wait time estimates are not applicable to curbside voting, and each site has a limited number of curbside parking spaces.
Voters who do not wish to wait in line to vote may request an absentee ballot from their county board of elections through 5 p.m. on Oct. 29. The ballot must be completed and delivered to the Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5. Absentee ballots from designated counties affected by hurricane Helene may return their ballot to any county board of elections.
Voters will be asked to show an acceptable form of photo identification when they present to vote. This requirement may be new for any North Carolina voters who have not voted since 2022, but all voters will be allowed to vote, with or without ID. If a voter is not able to present an acceptable form of photo ID, the officials will offer the options of returning with their ID or proceeding to the help table. At the help table, the voter may opt to vote provisionally and present ID to the Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Nov. 14 to have their vote counted. Alternatively, the voter may vote provisionally with a photo ID exception form, on which they can indicate a reasonable exception to presenting a photo ID.
Visit ReadyToVote.com for more information about upcoming elections and voting.
About Wake County Board of Elections
The Wake County Board of Elections is responsible for conducting all elections held in the county. The board establishes election precincts and voting sites; appoints and trains precinct officials; prepares and distributes ballots and voting equipment; certifies ballots cast in elections and investigates any voting irregularities.
The Wake County Board of Elections also maintains voter registration and voting records for more than 850,000 voters. To learn more about Wake County Board of Elections, follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Contact us at voter@wake.gov or 919-404-4040.
