Ben Schachtman: Alright, Rachel, what do early voting statistics look like so far?
Rachel Keith: As of Wednesday, October 30, 2024, 41% of New Hanover County voters have turned out. 48% of the Republican electorate has already voted compared to 44% of Democrats – and 35% of Unaffiliated voters.
BNS: Remind us what the turnout was overall in 2020 and 2016, the last two presidential elections.
RBK: In 2020, 75% of the county’s registered voters turned out – and in 2016, it was 66%.
BNS: So, what does early voting look like today and tomorrow in New Hanover County?
RBK: Polls are open Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. There are five early voting sites; you can visit any of them. They are Carolina Beach Town Hall, CFCC’s Health and Human Services building, the county’s Board of Elections office, Northeast Regional Library, and the Senior Resource Center.
BNS: And you have to bring your photo ID.
RBK: Yes, the typical one is your driver’s license. You can also show your U.S. passport. If you’re a student, in many cases you can show your college ID. If you need an ID and are a registered voter, the Board of Elections or the DMV will print you one for free.
BNS: And just a quick note, most college IDs are accepted, but Brunswick County Community College IDs are not — but, in general Rachel, what if I don’t have one, and I show up to vote?
RBK: You can fill out a photo ID exception form. Some reasons include a lack of transportation to get one, being ill or having a disability, or not having the necessary documents. The voter can put down one of these “reasonable impediments,” and their vote will count.
BNS: And there's also time for those residents who haven’t registered yet.
RBK: Yes, for the last two days of early voting, Friday and Saturday, you can register and vote on the same day. You must be a county resident for at least 30 days before November 5th. Once you fill out that application, you can vote.
BNS: Things change after Saturday, the last day of early voting. You must show up at your polling place, and you can no longer register to vote.
RBK: If you’re unsure where to go, you can use the online NC voter lookup tool. It will tell you where to go and provide your sample ballot, so you won’t be surprised about which races you’ll vote in.
BNS: What happens if you show up at the wrong polling site?
RBK: The board of elections workers will tell you where your polling site is. It’s important to show up at that site because you want to vote in the correct races for that precinct. You will cast a provisional ballot if you don’t want to leave that site.
BNS: What about absentee-by-mail voting?
RBK: You can’t request this form anymore—that date was Tuesday earlier this week. However, if you already have the form, you must return it to your polling site or the Board of Elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5th, Election Day. You must have a copy of your photo ID with the ballot. If not, fill out that photo ID exception form to send with your ballot. You also have to have two witnesses to sign your ballot.
BNS: If you have this form, it’s probably better to drop it by the elections office in person. What time do the polls open on Tuesday, November 5th, Election Day?
RBK: On Tuesday, the polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. If you are in line by 7:30, you can cast your ballot.
BNS: If you’re still researching candidate platforms, we have all the information here — voter guides and candidate interviews.
RBK: And results are finalized until the county canvass on Friday, November 15.
