Early Voting Continues, Election Day Nears in 2024 Second Primary

The 2024 second primary election will be held statewide on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. In-person early voting ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11, in all 100 counties.

The State Board offers the following information and tips, as Election Day nears:

1. What contests are on the ballot? Second primaries are being held statewide for the Republican nomination for lieutenant governor and state auditor. A second primary also is being held for the Republican nomination for U.S. House District 13, which includes all of Caswell, Person, Franklin, Lee, Harnett, and Johnston counties, as well as parts of Wake and Granville counties. In Gaston County, a second primary is being held for the Republican nomination for the South Point Township District on the Gaston County Board of Commissioners. The winners of the second primaries will be Republican nominees on the November 5 general election ballot. Finally, in Orange County, a runoff election will determine the third seat on the Orange County Schools Board of Education.
2. Who is eligible to vote? All registered Republicans in North Carolina may vote in the statewide second primaries for lieutenant governor and state auditor. Also eligible for those contests are unaffiliated voters who either didn’t vote or voted the Republican ballot in the March 5 primary. All registered Republicans who live in U.S. House District 13 are eligible to vote in that second primary, along with unaffiliated voters who live in that congressional district and either didn’t vote or voted the Republican ballot in the March 5 primary. In Gaston County, all Republican voters, along with unaffiliated voters who did not vote or voted the Republican ballot in the March 5 primary, are eligible to vote in the county commissioner contest. Same-day registration is not available during early voting for the second primary. However, individuals who become eligible to vote between the primary and second primary may register and vote on the day of the second primary — May 14. All Orange County voters in the Orange County Schools district are eligible to vote in the school board runoff election.
3. Early voting. Eligible, registered voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county through 3 p.m. Saturday, May 11. For sites and hours in all 100 counties, use the Early Voting Sites search tool. Also see Early Voting Sites for the May 14, 2024 Second Primary Election (PDF).
4. Candidate information. Sample ballots for eligible voters are available through the Voter Search tool.
5. Bring Your Photo ID. Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they check in to vote. Most voters will show their driver’s license, but many other forms of photo ID will be accepted. Voters who do not have photo ID can make sure their vote counts by either (1) filling out a form explaining why they are unable to show ID, or (2) showing their ID at the county board of elections office by 5 p.m. May 23. Comprehensive information about the photo ID requirement is available at BringItNC.gov.
6. Free Photo IDs. Any registered voter who needs a photo ID can get one for free from their county board of elections office during the early voting period, which ends May 11. For details, go to Get a Free Voter Photo ID. Any North Carolina resident who is at least 17 can also get a free non-driver ID from their local DMV office.
7. Absentee Ballot Drop-off. Voters who vote by absentee ballot can return their ballot by mail or hand it to an election official at an early voting site in their county. They can also drop it off in person to their county board of elections office. Absentee ballots must be received by the county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, May 14. For more information on returning absentee-by-mail ballots, see Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail.
8. Election Day is Tuesday, May 14. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters should go to their assigned precinct on Election Day. See the “Your Voting Locations” section in the Voter Search tool. Voters with questions should contact their county board of elections.