North Carolina has its general election on Nov. 6, with early voting Oct. 17 through Nov. 3. On the ballot will be seats for the U.S. House of Representatives, State Supreme Court, numerous local offices and six constitutional amendments, many controversial.
The regular voter registration deadline for the primary is Friday, Oct. 12, but you can also register during early voting (but not on Nov. 6). If you are already registered in Orange County from a prior election — such as one of 10,000 students who registered locally for the 2016 presidential election or registered in 2017 or for the 2018 primary — and still live in Orange County, you are still eligible, but need to report any address change if you have moved within the county. This can be done easiest at early voting or by using the form on the back of your voter registration card and mailing it postmarked by Oct. 12 to the Orange County Board of Elections, PO Box 220, Hillsborough, NC 27278.
You can also report a voter address change within Orange County by using a regular voter registration form.
If you live in Orange County but aren’t yet registered to vote, this can be done by printing this form and mailong it postmarked by Oct. 12 to: Orange County Board of Elections, P.O. Box 220 Hillsborough N.C. 27278.
I suggest mailing the form by Oct. 8. There are often registration tables in the Pit and other places on campus where you can pick up a form, fill it out and let the tabler or canvasser send it. Copies of the registration form are also available at:
- Davis Library, UNC-CH Campus
- Carrboro Town Hall, 301 W. Main St. Carrboro
- Chapel Hill Town Hall, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Chapel Hill
- Chapel Hill Public Library, 100 Library Dr., Chapel Hill
- Persons having business with the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles may register to vote at the DMV.
Voters with a North Carolina driver license or non-operator ID can also register to vote or report a voter address change online with the DMV at the same time as reporting a license address change or getting a duplicate license here. But, there is a $13 DMV license fee.
If you want to vote by mail for the election in the North Carolina county of your voter registration, this absentee form is available. You must print the form, and it can be mailed, or faxed, scanned and emailed to the board of election of the county of your voter registration.
Contact info for county board of elections with snail-mail, fax, and email addresses is listed here. Your absentee ballot application must reach the appropriate county board of elections office by Oct. 30, but I suggest you send it by Oct. 24.
