absentee voting instructions
Absentee-by-mail voting is fairly self-explanatory. A voter fills out a request form for an absentee ballot, then mails it to their county board of election. The BOE will process the form and mail the voter a ballot, which the voter should complete, have witnessed, and mail back in.
Any registered North Carolina voter may request an absentee ballot by mail. No excuse is needed to vote by absentee. To request an absentee ballot, complete the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Request Form. The Absentee Ballot Request Form may only be signed by the voter or a voter’s near relative or legal guardian. According to the law, a "near relative" can be any of the following: a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a grandparent, a child, a grandchild, a mother-in-law, a father-in-law, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law, a stepparent, or a stepchild of the voter.
A completed Absentee Ballot Request Form may be scanned and emailed, faxed, or mailed to the county board of elections. The contact information for the county boards of elections may be found here.
More information is available on Civilian Absentee Voting page.
Military/Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting
Uniformed services members (and their eligible dependents) as well as U.S. citizens living outside of the United States may request an absentee ballot under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). This federal act and corresponding laws in North Carolina allows uniformed service members and overseas citizens who are absent from their county of residence in North Carolina to request, receive and return an absentee ballot under special rights.
Click here for more information on UOCAVA absentee voting.