N.C. voters wishing to cast their ballot by mail in the 2022 general election have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 1 to request a ballot.
Through Wednesday, October 26, 234,366 North Carolinians had requested a ballot by mail, more than double the number of voters who requested ballots at this point in the last midterm election in 2018. Statewide, 73,514 voters had returned absentee ballots through Wednesday, up from 31,462 in 2018.
See Daily Absentee Request Reports (PDF).
See Daily Absentee Stats Reports (PDF).
“We believe many people who voted by mail in 2020 due to the pandemic found the process simple and efficient, and are voting by mail again this year,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Of course, all voters should use the voting method that best suits them – either by mail, or in-person during the early voting period or on Election Day, November 8.”
How to Request an Absentee Ballot
All registered voters in North Carolina may request, receive, and return a mail-in absentee ballot. There are two ways to request an absentee ballot:
- Online at the N.C. Absentee Ballot Portal.
- On paper with the English N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (fillable PDF) or the Spanish N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (fillable PDF).
Due to the approaching deadline, requesting a ballot online is the best option.
Note: If you are a blind or visually impaired registered voter in North Carolina, you can request, complete, and return an accessible absentee ballot online through a system that is compatible with screen readers and allows for a digital or typed signature. Find detailed instructions at Accessible Absentee Voting.
Once you have requested your absentee ballot, you can track its status, from when it is sent to you and then accepted by the county board of elections, by signing up online for status notifications through BallotTrax.
How to Return Your Ballot
A voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian may return their absentee ballot. It may be returned in person to an early voting site during the early voting period or to the voter's county board of elections office until 5 p.m. on Election Day. Voters may not return an absentee ballot to an Election Day polling place.
Voters may also mail their absentee ballot to their county board of elections office. Please ensure that your ballot receives a postmark if mailing near Election Day. Completed absentee ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by the voter’s county board of elections by Monday, November 14.
Many safeguards are in place to ensure absentee voting is secure. For more information, see Statement About Absentee Ballot Security in North Carolina.
For more information about the absentee voting process, consult the website of the State Board of Elections, which includes Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail and FAQ: Voting By Mail.
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