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Last Friday, Sept. 9, North Carolina’s county boards of elections began mailing absentee ballots to voters who have requested them for the upcoming Nov. 8 general election, marking the official start of election season. 

Contests in this election include a U.S. Senate seat, all 14 U.S. House seats, two seats on the NC Supreme Court, four seats on the NC Court of Appeals, all 170 seats in the NC General Assembly, and many judicial and local seats across the state. In Polk County, three commissioner seats are up for grabs, and the race for school board has 13 contestants vying for five seats. 

“We encourage all eligible North Carolinians to register to vote and to make a plan now about when and where they will cast their ballot in 2022,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Your state and county elections officials are here to provide accurate information to help you safely and securely exercise your right to vote. We will make sure your vote counts.”

Important dates to be aware of:

Friday, Oct. 14: Regular voter registration deadline for voters who want to vote on Election Day. 

Thursday, Oct. 20 – Saturday, Nov. 5: One-stop, in-person early voting period. Eligible individuals may register and vote at the Womack Building, 40 Courthouse St. in Columbus, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Curbside voting is available for those who cannot go inside the building.

Tuesday, Nov. 1: Absentee ballot request deadline. The State Board encourages voters to request their absentee ballot as early as possible to ensure enough time to complete and return the ballot. 

 

Tuesday, Nov. 8: Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters must go to their designated Election Day polling place. There is no voting at the Womack Building on Election Day. Absentee ballots received after 5 p.m. Nov. 8 must be postmarked by Election Day and received by mail by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14. Ballots without a postmark must be received by Nov. 8.

 

Friday, Nov. 18: County canvass day; results are certified at the county level. 

 

Tuesday, Nov. 29: State canvass day; final results are certified statewide.

 

To view a sample ballot, find registration information, or to locate your polling site, visit the NC State Board of Elections website, ncsbe.gov. Information is also available through the Polk County Board of Elections at polknc.gov or 828-894-8181.