Eligible individuals may register to vote for the October 5 municipal elections until the deadline at 5 p.m. Friday, September 10.
To register, eligible voters may complete a voter registration application (PDF) and return the form to their county board of elections.
Existing N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles customers may also submit a voter registration application or update their registration online. Learn more at Complete Your Registration Online Through the DMV.
The following N.C. municipalities have October elections: Burlington, Dobbins Heights, Durham, Hendersonville, Jamestown, Roxboro, Shelby, and Southern Pines.
The town of Mooresville would have an October election only if the State Board of Elections reverses the decision of the Iredell County Board of Elections related to a candidate challenge in the commissioner at-large contest. The State Board will hear that appeal on Friday, September 10.
“Voting is your chance to make your voice heard. In municipal elections, voters elect officials whose decisions directly affect their community,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Before this fall, please ensure your voter registration status is up to date.”
To check your current registration status, use the State Board Voter Lookup Tool.
For an overview of registering to vote, view the video: Registering to Vote in North Carolina.
Find your county board of elections information here: County Boards of Elections Search.
If an individual misses the regular registration deadline, they may register and vote on the same day during the one-stop early voting period if their municipality offers early voting. To see if your municipality offers early voting, use the 2021 Municipal Voter Tool. For early voting sites and hours, please visit the One-Stop Early Voting Site Search.
Qualifications to Vote
To register, a person must:
- Be a U.S. citizen.
- Live in the county of his/her registration and have lived there for at least 30 days before the date of the election.
- Be at least 18 years old or will be by the date of the general election. 16- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote.
- 17-year-olds may vote in a primary election if they will be 18 at the time of the general election.
- Not be currently serving a felony sentence, including any probation, post-release supervision, or parole. However, you may register and vote if you are serving an extended term of probation, post-release supervision, or parole, you have outstanding fines, fees, or restitution, and you do not know of another reason that your probation, post-release supervision, or parole was extended.
Update Registration
The voter registration application may be used to change any voting information, including name, address, and party affiliation. The change notification must be signed and sent to the board of elections by the voter registration deadline.
Updates to name, address, and party affiliation must be signed, but can be provided by fax or email. A wet ink (physical) signature is not required.
DMV customers may update their voter registration residential or mailing address and party affiliation through the DMV service. This service does not currently allow voters to change their name.
The regular voter registration deadline for November 2, 2021 municipal elections is October 8.
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