Deadline to Return an Absentee Ballot: No later than 5 p.m. on March 3, 2020
- The voted ballot must be returned in person or by mail to the county board of elections. Absentee ballots received after 5 p.m. on Election Day will be timely only if they are received by mail no later than 5 p.m. on the third day following the date of the election (March 6, 2020) and postmarked on or before Election Day.
Early Voting: February 13, 2020 – February 29, 2020
- The sites are open Monday through Friday, beginning February 13 through February 28, 2020, from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The sites are closed Saturdays except for Saturday, February 29, when they will be open from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. for the last day of early voting.
Election Day: March 3, 2020
- Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters in line at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote.
- To find your Election Day polling place, visit vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLkup. You can search either by your residence or voting precinct.
- Sample ballots are available for all eligible voters through the Voter Search tool at NCSBE.gov. Enter your first and last names in the boxes and click “Search.” Click on your name from the list of available records. There, you will find your sample ballot(s), Election Day polling place, voting jurisdictions, voter history (which NC elections you’ve voted in), and information about any absentee ballot requests. For the 2020 primary, unaffiliated voters will see sample ballots for the Republican, Democratic, and Libertarian parties, and if available, a nonpartisan ballot.
What is a primary? In a primary election, voters select which candidates will appear on the ballot for a given political party in the general election in November. For example, the winner of a Democratic Party primary will be that party’s nominee on the general election ballot in November.
Who can vote in the March 2020 Primary? Voters who are registered with one of the five recognized political parties (Constitution, Democratic, Green, Libertarian, or Republican) may only cast a ballot in that party’s primary election. Unaffiliated voters may request a Democratic, Libertarian, or Republican ballot, or nonpartisan ballot, if available. Unaffiliated voters may not vote in the closed primaries of the Constitution or Green parties.
Can a 17-year-old vote in the primary? A 17-year-old who will be 18 by Election Day (November 3, 2020) may also vote in the March 2020 primary. However, they may receive a different ballot style because they are not eligible to vote in specific contests, such as referendums.
Do I need a photo ID to vote in the 2020 primary? No. In a December 31 order, a federal district court blocked North Carolina’s voter photo ID requirement from taking effect. The injunction will remain in place until further order of the court. The North Carolina Court of Appeals also temporarily blocked the law on February 18, 2020.
Election Results
Results will be posted on election night at DareNC.com.
