Voter Registration Ends February 7. Here’s How To Sign Up.

I’ve moved five times since 2015. I should have changed my voter registration four of those times, but I didn’t (forgive me, college was stressful). I changed it 2016, in 2018, and now I need to change it again for 2020. I’ll probably need to change it before the general election, too.

Voter registration is convoluted, especially with the ongoing legal battle over the state’s voter ID law. You have to register in person. You have to change your registration in person. You have to know what to bring. To make it easier, here are the things you should know about registering in North Carolina for the March 2020 primary.

North Carolina’s General Voting Rules:

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, here’s what you need to know about NC’s voting rules:

• North Carolina only accepts physical registration forms. The Old North State is one of the 13 states where voter registration has to be done in-person or by mail (it’s about to be 12—Oklahoma is currently phasing in online registration). The same goes for your voter registration: download it here.
• You only have to fill out four parts of the voter registration form and sign. The only parts of the application that you have to fill out are your name, date of birth, residential address, and mailing address. You don’t need to include the last four digits of your social security number, or a driver’s license number.
• If you’re 17, you can still vote in the primary. If you turn 18 before the general election, ask your guidance counselors for the registration paperwork.
• You can register to vote during early voting. But you’ll need an NC driver’s license, a copy of a bill or paycheck showing your name and address, or a college ID (and some sort of document from the university showing the current address of your dorm). You can also use a passport or federal ID, even if it’s expired. The information just has to be right.
• You can still vote without registration. You’ll be given a provisional ballot—one that has to go through extra inspection to be counted. They are, however, still counted if eligible. It is illegal for you to be denied the right to vote, unless you are too young, not a citizen, or are currently serving a felony sentence. If the sentence is complete, you can register again. 
• You do not need an ID for the March 3 primary. The injunction filed by a judge New Year’s Eve still stands, despite the emergency hold filed by GA Republicans.

Where to Register:

Every county has a Board of Elections for you to either mail your registration or turn it in in person. If neither of these is an option, you can also fax or email the form to your county board of elections. If it’s a new application or a change of party the form, you will be unable to send in your form through these (the deadline was “within 20 days of the registration deadline,” which was Jan. 19). You can also pick up voter registration at any public library (you can find the one closest to you here), or register while at a public service agency or the DMV.

Chatham County: 

• Chatham County Board of Elections (in person): 984 Thompson St., Suite D, Pittsboro, NC 27312
• Chatham County Board of Elections (by mail): P.O. Box 111, Pittsboro, NC 27312

Durham County:

• Durham County Board of Elections (in person): 201 N. Roxboro Street, Durham, NC 27701 
• Durham County Board of Elections (by mail): P.O. Box 868, Durham, NC 27702

Orange County: 

• Orange County Board of Elections (in person): 208 S. Cameron St, Hillsborough, NC 27278
• Orange County Board of Elections (by mail): P.O. Box 220, Hillsborough, NC 27278

Wake County:

• N.C. State Board of Elections (by mail): P.O. Box 27255, Raleigh, NC 27611
• N.C. State Board of Elections (in person): 430 N. Salisbury St., 640 MSC, Raleigh, NC 27603. The office is located on the third floor of the building.
• Wake County Board of Elections (in person): 1200 N. New Hope Road, Raleigh, NC 27610
• Wake County Board of Elections (by mail): P.O. Box 695, Raleigh, NC 27602

Who you can vote for:

North Carolina’s primary system allows unaffiliated voters to vote in whatever primary they choose. However, if you’re registered with a specific party you have to vote for the party you’re affiliated with. If you choose to vote for a different party than the one you’re registered with, you will receive a provisional ballot.

How you can help:

Holding voting drives gives folks the ability to register without worrying about buying stamps or physically showing up at their county board of elections. If you want to hold a voter registration drive, you can request forms here.