Before casting the vote, election workers must verify the identity and record of each voter and then ensure that the ballot is processed correctly.

From the ID you must present to What to do if your name does not appear in the registerThis is what you should know before you vote.

Before you go to vote: confirm your polling station

On election day, registered voters must go to the polling place assigned to your address.

During the early voting period, you can vote at any of the designated sites in your county.

The State Board of Elections recommends using your Voter Search tool to verify registration, find the polling place and consult the sample ballot.

For the 2026 general elections, polling stations will be open on Tuesday, November 3, from 6:30 am to 7:30 pm

Anyone who is in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 pm will be able to vote.

Upon arriving at the polling station

Election workers will direct you to where you need to register. At the registration table, they will look up your name on the voter list and verify your information. They will ask you for photo identification..

Acceptable forms of identification include a North Carolina driver's license, a state DMV ID, a U.S. passport, and certain student, public employee, military, and tribal IDs, among others.

Election workers verify that the photograph reasonably resembles the voter and that the name matches the one on record.

What happens if you don't have an ID or your name isn't listed?

not have one acceptable identification It doesn't mean you can't vote.

You can request a provisional receiptYou can complete an ID exception form. Alternatively, you can return to your county board of elections later with acceptable identification within the specified timeframe.

Exceptions include difficulty obtaining identification, lack of documents, disability or illness, family responsibilities, conflicts with work or studies, or loss, theft, or misplacement of identification.

On the other hand, if election workers cannot find your name on the register, ask for a provisional ballot before leaving the polling station.

Provisional ballots allow a person to vote when there is any doubt about their registration, identity, or eligibility.

The fact that you cast a provisional ballot does not mean that the vote will be rejected.

The State Board considers provisional voting a protective measure to prevent a eligible voter be rejected due to a doubt about their registration or eligibility.

After verifying your registration

Once the election workers confirm your information, you will receive your ballot and instructions for using your county's voting equipment.

North Carolina uses different voting systems, so the equipment may vary from county to county.

You can consult a sample ballot before voting to familiarize yourself with the contests and the questions that will appear on it.

The vote is private.

After receiving the ballot, you will proceed to the designated voting area.

There you can mark your selections privately. If you have trouble using the equipment or completing the ballot, you can ask an election worker for help.

You can also carry notes with you, a candidate guide or other materials that help you make a decision.

You can use a phone or other electronic device to look up information while you vote, but you cannot photograph or record your ballot or communicate with another person while you vote.

Is it different during early voting?

The basic process at the polling station is similar, but there are two important differences.

During the early votingYou can go to any early voting site in your county. Additionally, someone who is not yet registered can Register and vote on the same day if it meets the requirements.

In the 2026 general electionEarly voting will be from Thursday, October 15th until 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 31st.

On election day, however, you must go to your assigned polling place and there is no same-day registration.

Official resources to prepare to vote

Republish This Story

Republish our stories for free on your website or newspaper. We follow the Creative Commons license. Click the box and follow the instructions.

close window

Republish this article

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

"This article may be republished for free under the Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Enlace Latino NC authorizes the reproduction of this content in newspapers and digital platforms, provided that the integrity of the text is maintained and that it is cited Enlace Latino NC and the author of the story to be republished as the primary source. If you publish the story in a digital news outlet or website, you must include a link to our website: www.enlacelatinonc.org

If you wish to make edits to the content to be republished, please contact our editorial team at walter@enlacelatinonc.org to obtain the corresponding permit."

How does the process work inside the polling station?

by Claudia Rivera Cotto, Enlace Latino NC
September 11, 2026

Enlace Latino NCSeptember 11, 2026 Before casting the vote, election workers must verify the identity and registration of each voter and then ensure that the ballot is processed correctly. From the ID you need to present to what to do if your name doesn't appear on the register , here's what you need to know before voting. Before you go to vote: confirm your polling station On election day, registered voters must go to the polling place assigned to their home address . During the early voting period, you can vote at any of the designated sites in your county. The State Board of Elections recommends using its Voter Search tool to verify registration , find your polling place, and view the sample ballot. For the 2026 general elections, polling stations will be open on Tuesday, November 3, from 6:30 am at 7:30 p.m. Anyone who is in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 pm will be able to vote. Upon arriving at the polling station Election workers will tell you where you should register. At the registration table, they will look for your name on the voter list and verify your information. They will also ask you for photo identification . Acceptable forms of identification include a North Carolina driver's license, a state DMV ID, a U.S. passport, and certain student, public employee, military, and tribal IDs, among others. Election workers verify that the photograph reasonably resembles the voter and that the name matches the one on record. What happens if you don't have an ID or your name isn't listed? Not having an acceptable ID does not mean you cannot vote. You can request a provisional ballot and complete an identification exception form. You can also return later to your county board of elections with acceptable identification within the established timeframe. Exceptions include difficulty obtaining identification, lack of documents, disability or illness, family responsibilities, conflicts with work or studies, or loss, theft, or misplacement of identification. On the other hand, if election workers cannot find your name on the register, ask for a provisional ballot before leaving the polling station. Provisional ballots allow a person to vote when there is any doubt about their registration, identity, or eligibility. The fact that you cast a provisional ballot does not mean that the vote will be rejected. The State Board considers provisional voting a protective measure to prevent an eligible voter from being rejected due to a doubt about their registration or eligibility. After verifying your registration Once the election workers confirm your information, you will receive your ballot and instructions for using your county's voting equipment. North Carolina uses different voting systems, so the equipment may vary from county to county. You can check a sample ballot before voting to familiarize yourself with the contests and the questions that will appear on it. The vote is private. After receiving the ballot, you will proceed to the designated voting area. There you can mark your selections privately. If you have difficulty using the equipment or completing the ballot, you can ask an election worker for help. You can also bring notes, a candidate guide , or other materials to help you make a decision. You can use a phone or other electronic device to look up information while you vote, but you cannot photograph or record your ballot or communicate with another person while you vote. All about the 2026 elections Find it inEnlace Latino NC Information about candidates, proposals, dates, and what's at stake in the North Carolina elections to learn about and better understand the electoral process. Consult the 2026 Electoral Guide →Is it different during early voting? The basic process at the polling station is similar, but there are two important differences. During early voting , you can go to any early voting site in your county. Additionally, someone who is not yet registered can register and vote the same day if they meet the requirements. In the 2026 general election , early voting will be from Thursday, October 15th until 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 31st. On election day, however, you must go to your assigned polling place and there is no same-day registration. Official resources to prepare to vote Find your polling place Check your voter registration on Voter Search Please refer to your sample ballot This article first appeared onEnlace Latino NCand is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License . PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: "https://enlacelatinonc.org/como-funciona-el-proceso-dentro-del-centro-de-votacion-en-carolina-del-norte/", urlref: window.location.href }); } }

Copy to clipboard