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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
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How do I vote in a primary election if I am registered
Unaffiliated? |
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When do I register to
vote? |
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When can a
17 year old register and vote? |
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When is the deadline to register to vote in an election? |
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When are the polls open? |
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How do I know where to
vote? |
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What if a voter is unable to enter the polling place because of
age or physical disability? |
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What are the criteria for requesting an absentee ballot and how
can I request one? |
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What if
I need assistance at my polling place? |
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The mailman delivered a voter card to my house, but that person
doesn't live here. What should I do? |
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My grown son (or married daughter or ex-husband or the person
who used to live here...) got mail from the board of elections
at my house. They do not live here anymore; they live in
another state. Why don't you remove their name from the
voter registration books? |
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What are provisional
ballots? |
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What are inactive voters? |
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What are the types of elections in North Carolina? |
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I saw somebody at the polls today who doesn't live in this
precinct anymore. How do I get that person to vote where
they're supposed to? |
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Do I have to
show my ID at the polls? |
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How are
precinct boundaries determined? |
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How do I vote in a primary election if I am registered
Unaffiliated?
When you arrive at
your polling place you can choose to vote Republican, Democrat
or you can decline to choose.
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Republican - You
may vote in the Republican races and the non-partisan races.
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Democrat - You may
vote in the Democratic races and the non-partisan races.
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Declining to
Choose - You may only vote in the non-partisan races (e.g.
Superior Court Judges, School Board)
These limitations
do not apply during a November general election, only in primary
elections. In general elections, any registered voter may
go to the appropriate polling place and vote. General
election ballots will be the same county-wide, regardless of
political affiliation.
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FAQ |
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When do I register to vote?
North Carolina has
free, permanent and continuous registration.
You need to
register if:
You need to update
your registration if:
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You have moved
from one precinct to another within the same county.
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You have changed
your name; or
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You wish to change
your party affiliation.
All registrations
and updates must be completed at least 25 days before an
election. All transactions may be completed in person or
by mail.
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When can a 17
year old register and vote?
A person who is
seventeen years old may register and vote in a party primary, if
she/he will be eighteen years old by the date of the next
general election. Registration earlier than sixty days,
or later than twenty-one days prior to the primary (excluding
Saturdays and Sundays) is not permitted. Although
seventeen year olds may vote in the party primary, they may not
vote on any constitutional issues, bonds, referenda items, or
school board elections held during the primary election.
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When is the deadline to register to vote in an election?
If mailed, the registration form must be postmarked at least 25
days prior to the election. If hand-delivered, the
registration form must be received at the board of elections
office no later than 5:00 on the 25th day prior to the election.
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When are the polls open?
The polls are open
from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. on election day.
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How do I know where to
vote?
When you register
or make an address or information change, or if the board of
elections assigns you to a new precinct or polling place, the
board of elections sends you a new voter card. Your voting
place (polling place) is printed on the card. You are
assigned a polling place based on the precinct where you live.
If you don't know where to vote or if you have moved from the
residence address that the board of elections has on file, don't
wait until election day to call the board of elections office.
You may experience a delay in voting if your residence address
is not up to date or if we have sent mail to your voter
registration address that was returned by the postal service.
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What if a voter is unable to enter the polling place because of
age or physical disability?
If the voter
wishes to vote on election day or at the one stop early voting
sites, the voter will be allowed to vote outside the polling
place. This procedure is called "curbside voting."
Look for the "Curbside Voting" sign and park there. The
precinct official handling "Curbside Voters" will assist the
voter in preparing the necessary paperwork. If possible,
having someone enter the voting place and informing the precinct
election official that a voter needs to vote curbside is
helpful. Or the voter may choose to vote by absentee
ballot.
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What are the criteria for requesting an absentee ballot and how
can I request one?
You may request an
absentee ballot if you are registered to vote in Carteret
County.
Application may be made at the elections office by the voter,
verifiable legal guardian or a near relative (spouse, child,
brother, sister, parent, grandparent, daughter-in-law,
son-in-law, mother-in-law, or father-in-law) beginning 50 days
prior to an election, but not later than the Tuesday prior to an
election. A voter may also mail a request for an absentee
ballot to the Carteret County Board of Elections. It must
state the voter's name, address, date of birth, and the address
where the ballot should be mailed. It must be signed by
the voter or a near relative. A ballot will be mailed to
the voter.
If
the request is made for a voter registered as unaffiliated, the
request should also state the party in which the voter desires
to vote. Only the voter can make the choice to vote either
a democrat or republican ballot.
All ballots must be returned to the board of elections office by
5:00 p.m. the day before the election. The ballots must be
delivered by the U. S. Postal Service, the voter, a near
relative or a verifiable legal guardian.
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What if
I need assistance at my polling place?
Assistance can be
given to any voter who requests it:
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Voter must request
assistance.
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Precinct officials
may not suggest a voter needs assistance.
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Voter must
designate from whom he or she would like assistance.
Who is authorized
to help me vote?
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Near Relatives?
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Spouse
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Parent/Child
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Brother/Sister
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Grandparent/Grandchild
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Mother/Father-In-Law
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Daughter/Son-In-Law
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Stepparent/Stepchild
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Any person may
assist blind, disabled, or illiterate voters, but only if
requested by the voter.
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Precinct election
officials may assist any voter, but only if requested by the
voter.
Who may NOT
assist voter?
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The mailman delivered a voter card to my house, but that person
doesn't live here. What should I do?
Please return the
voter card to us along with whatever information you have.
By law, we will have to send another card to the same address
and when that card is returned back to us, we will make them
inactive. If we do not get the card back, we will assume
that the voter lives at the address where the card was mailed.
Return to FAQ |
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My grown son (or married daughter or ex-husband or the person
who used to live here...) got mail from the board of elections
at my house. They do not live here anymore; they live in
another state. Why don't you remove their name from the
voter registration books?
Reasons for
removing voter registrations are very specifically outlined in
North Carolina General Statute 163.82.14. We cannot cancel
a voter's registration just because someone tells us that we
should. Voter registration cards are sent first class mail
and are addressed to a specific person. Any first class
mail that you receive that is not addressed to you should be
returned to the postman unopened. You should note on the
piece of mail that the person does not live at your address.
Only after two or more such mailings are returned to our office
and then after two federal elections have passed may we begin
the removal process. Otherwise, we must receive official
notice that the voter has registered elsewhere, has died, or has
been convicted of a felony before we can remove a voter's
registration records. We may also remove a voter's
registration record if we receive a signed written request from
the voter.
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What are provisional
ballots?
A provisional
ballot is a voted ballot which is preserved and protected in a
certification envelope until the voter's qualifications are
determined. If the voter is determined qualified, the
ballot is counted on Canvass Day. If the voter is
determined not eligible, the ballot envelope remains sealed.
The intent of fail-safe voting (provisional ballots) is such
that those who are eligible to vote are allowed to do so,
without disturbing the integrity of the elections. It also
protects the integrity of the elections by not counting the
provisional ballots of those persons not qualified to vote.
The Provisional
Ballot
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Obtains updated
registration information on the voter
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Allows voter to
cast ballot
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Intends to
preserve the integrity of the election. It gives the
county board of elections time to verify registration to
see if there is substantial evidence within the office or
through contact with the registering agency that the voter did
indeed make application to register. The qualified
registered voters will have their ballots counted on Canvass
Day.
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What are inactive voters?
Inactive voters
are those voters who do not have a verifiable residence address,
as we have had numerous mailing returned to our office marked
"undeliverable." The "Inactive" voters, if eligible, are
still allowed to vote but will need to change their address with
us so that we can assign them to the correct voting district.
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What
are the types of elections in North Carolina?
Municipal
elections are held in odd numbered years.
National, state,
and county elections are held in even numbered years.
In the general
election, you elect these officials:
In a presidential
election year, and every four years thereafter, you also elect:
United States
President and Vice President
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N. C. Governor
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N. C. Attorney
General
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N. C. Secretary of
State
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N. C. State
Auditor
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N. C. State
Treasurer
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N. C.
Superintendent of Public Instruction
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N. C. Commissioner
of Labor
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N. C. Commissioner
of Insurance
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N. C. Commissioner
of Agriculture
One U. S. Senator
will be elected in 1996 and every six years thereafter; the
other U.S. Senator will be elected in 1998 and every six years
thereafter.
Return to FAQ |
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I saw somebody at the polls today who doesn't live in this
precinct anymore. How do I get that person to vote where
they're supposed to?
You can talk to
the precinct officials and file an election day challenge.
They have the forms and the instructions. You can also
contact the board of elections office and we'll tell you the
other procedures.
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Do I have to
show my ID at the polls?
No, when voting,
the voter only has to state his name and address. However,
if the voter registered by mail after January 1, 2003 and did
not meet the HAVA ID requirements, they will be required to show
appropriate ID at the polls on election day before they will be
permitted to vote.
Return
to FAQ |
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How are
precinct boundaries determined?
The North General
General Statutes define the procedures for mapping precincts and
locating voting locations inside the precinct. We are
required to take numerous criteria into account as we develop
new precincts.
The boundaries drawn must be contiguous and follow a recognized
boundary such as a township line, census blocks or physical
features such as roads or streets, water or drainage features,
ridgelines, rail features, major above-ground power lines or
major footpaths and certified by the North Carolina Department
of Transportation, county manager or city clerk.
Voting locations
must be inside or on a tract adjacent to the precinct. It
must also fit certain criteria:
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American with
Disabilities Act compliant
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Have ample parking
and lighting
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Large enough to
accommodate the voting equipment and polling place layout
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Traffic flow must
be reviewed for safety and convenience
We utilize as many
public facilities as we possibly can to reduce rental costs, but
some areas, because of growth, have not caught up with the
public demands such as schools or libraries.
When changing a
voting location, all of the criteria listed above is considered.
After the board of elections staff completes its survey of the
areas for consideration, the location changes are submitted to
the board of elections members for approval or denial. The
board of elections has the power to "establish, define, provide,
rearrange, discontinue and combine election precincts as it may
deem expedient" (G.S. 163-33(4)). If the board of
elections approves the location change or split of an existing
precinct, the voters must be notified no later than 45 days
prior to the next primary or election. Voters involved in
any district or annexation changes are also notified by voter
card of those changes.
No matter what
process is used to determine the precinct boundaries, not
everyone will be happy with the outcome. We've learned
this the hard way. There is, however, very little we can
do with a phone complaint. If you have any issues or
concerns regarding the precinct locations, it needs to be in
writing to the Carteret County Board of Elections, 1510 Live Oak
Street, Beaufort, NC 28516, so that the matter can be fully
explored and brought to some resolution when our board is in
session.
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