2020 Primary: Registration and Early Voting in Cary

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Cary, NC — It’s that time again, readers – time to think about your voting plans. Primary Day is March 3, but now is the time to check your voting status, look at a sample ballot and decide where and when to vote in the next election.

Check Your Registration Status

There are two great resources to check if you are a registered voter and to make sure you are registered at your correct address. NC State Board of Election’s voter search is ideal for everyone  currently or  previously registered in North Carolina.

For people who were previously registered in another state, visit Vote.org .

Not registered where you need to be? Fill out a voter registration form and get it to the Wake County Board of Elections by way of mail, email or fax.

The deadline to register for the March election is February 7, 2020.

Get to Know The Ballot

To see a sample ballot, go to voter search, enter your name and you’ll get info about your precinct, district and voting place. At the bottom are the links to Sample Ballots. Select which party ballot you’d like to see, or look at them all.

 

Three Ways to Vote

There are options to how you want to cast your vote — by mail, early voting or voting on Election Day.

1. Vote By Mail (Absentee Voting)

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is February 25, 2020. Any voter in North Carolina can vote by mail with no special reason necessary.

To vote by mail, you need to complete an absentee ballot request form and mail it to the Wake County Board of Elections by the Feb. 25 deadline. The address is 1200 N New Hope Rd, Raleigh, NC 27610.

After receiving a ballot in the mail, voters must fill it out and return it in person or by mail to the same address by 5 PM on Election Day (or make sure it is postmarked by 5 PM on Election Day).

2. Early Voting

While Election Day is set for March 3, 2020, citizens of Wake County can vote early from Thursday, Feb. 13- Saturday, Feb. 29.

Early voting is a go-to option for voters wanting to avoid long lines and access more flexible voting hours and locations. Unlike on Election Day, you can register or update your registration on-site the same day you vote and you can vote at any early voting site in your county.

Wake County will have 12 early voting sites, 2 of which are in Cary. Those will be the Herbert C Young Community Center and the Cary Senior Center. Use the one-stop site locater to see the specific hours of each site.

3. Vote on Election Day

Primary Election Day is March 3, 2020. Remember that voters must cast their ballots at their assigned polling places on election day. Check your polling place at NC Voter Search.

Worth Mentioning

Also worth noting, you can only vote once. You cannot vote early in person or with an absentee ballot in addition to voting at your polling place. Pick one.

Lastly, voters will not be required to show photo ID. From Wake Board of Elections: “Voters will not be required to show photo ID for the March 3, 2020 primary election. In a December 31, 2019 order, a federal district court blocked North Carolina’s voter photo ID requirement from taking effect. The injunction will remain in place until further order of the court.”

Important Election Dates

  • Feb. 7, 2020 – Deadline to submit a regular Voter Registration Form (you can still register on-site and vote during early voting)
  • Feb. 25, 2020 – Deadline to request an Absentee Ballot
  • Feb. 13 – Feb. 29, 2020 – Early Voting Period
  • March 3, 2020 – Primary Election Day

Questions?

Voters with questions or concerns can call the national Election Protection hotline at 1-888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683). The hotline is available during early voting and on Election Day.

Story by Ashley Kairis. Pictures by Hal Goodtree.