Voting has begun in NC’s 2026 midterm election. What voters need to know
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
The midterm election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. One U.S. Senate seat, 14 U.S. House seats, more than 170 seats in the General Assembly and many more local seats are on the ballot in North Carolina.
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There is a lot to consider, from polling locations to absentee ballots. Early voting began on Thursday, Oct. 15, so here’s an exhaustive guide to voting in Mecklenburg County.
A person in North Carolina can register to vote during early voting. However, a person must have lived in the county where they are registering to vote for at least 30 days before Election Day. To learn more about this process, check out recent News & Observer reporting.
The deadline to register to vote for citizens in the military and those overseas is 5 p.m. before Election Day.
You can find your sample ballot, district, elected officials and polling location by entering your address on the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections website at apps.meckboe.org/addressSearch_New.aspx.
You can find your Election Day polling location at the website above. During early voting you may vote at any open polling location, rather than at your assigned polling location used on election day.
Early voting runs from Oct. 15 through 3 p.m. Oct 31. Precincts are open 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. Check open polling locations for early voting at vt.ncsbe.gov/EVSite.
Any citizen over the age of 18 can vote, as long as they are registered and are not completing a sentence for committing a felony. Teenagers under 18 who will be 18 at the time of a general election are also eligible to vote in the prior primary election.
Some college kids may choose to vote absentee in their home district, either by returning home on election day or for early voting or by absentee ballot. UNC Charlotte offers campus voting details at democracyexperience.charlotte.edu/get-informed/early-voting.
Voters must live within the city or town limits for at least 30 days before Election Day to vote in a North Carolina municipal election. If you’re not sure, the State Board of Elections’ voter search tool lets you see what’s on your ballot and confirm your jurisdiction under the “Your Jurisdictions” tab. The voter search tool can be found at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.
Request an absentee ballot online using the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal at votebymail.ncsbe.gov/app/home. You may also submit an Absentee Ballot Request Form by filling out the PDF available at ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail and mailing it to your Board of Elections or delivering it in person.
You may track the status of your absentee ballot using BallotTrax. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is two weeks before election day, but your deadline may be different if you are military or overseas.
You may request an absentee ballot but choose instead to vote in person, but not if you have already submitted it. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has an FAQ on absentee voting requirements available at ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.
You will be asked for a valid form of identification to vote. You will also be asked to submit a photo copy of your ID to absentee vote. However, there are exceptions made in certain circumstances.
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A list of acceptable photo IDs can be found at hncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id. Most people use a driver’s license, but that isn’t the only option.
You may receive a voter ID card from your County Board of Elections, or a non-driving ID from the NCDMV. Information on how to receive these IDs is available at ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id/get-free-voter-photo-id. To get a voter ID card, you will need the last four digits of your social security number.
If you are unable to provide an ID, you may vote by provisional ballot and fill out a Photo ID Exception Form explaining why you do not have one at the voting site and why you will not be able to present one to the County Board of Elections by noon on the fifth business day after Election Day. You must also fill out a Photo ID Exception Form if you cannot include a photo copy of a valid ID in your absentee ballot.
The Charlotte Observer and Raleigh News & Observer asked candidates to answer a survey informing voters of their positions. You can find links to questionnaires for all who responded at charlotteobserver.com/news/politics-government/election/voter-guide.
US Senate:
Voters will choose between Democratic Senate nominee Roy Cooper, Republican Michael Whatley, Libertarian Shannon Bray and Green Party Candidate Michael Dublin. Incumbent Thom Tillis is not seeking reelection.
US House:
Find your district on your sample ballot. Mecklenburg County makes up large parts of the House District 8, House District 12 and House District 14.
NC State Senators:
To see which districts Mecklenburg County is a part of, check out a map at mecknc.widen.net/s/nsrwxmmr9f/mc-doc-ele-map-nc-senate-districts.
NC State Representatives:
To see what districts cut across Mecklenburg County, check out the map at mecknc.widen.net/s/qlhwkvwnm2/mc-doc-ele-map-nc-house-districts.
Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners
Five candidates are on the ballot for Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor, and voters will select two: Barbara Bleiweis (incumbent), Michael Betterly, Long Tran, Makenzie Pearce and Jillian King (suspended campaign, but will appear on the ballot)
NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1, Seat 2 and Seat 3
The following races are on the ballot uncontested:
Statewide referenda: Mecklenburg voters will vote for or against three referenda on voter ID, income tax and property tax:
Bonds: Mecklenburg voters will vote for or against on three municipal bonds.
Voters with questions about elections in Mecklenburg County can call the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections at 704-336-2133.
For broader state election questions, call the North Carolina State Board of Elections at (919) 814-0700 or email [email protected].
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