Love to Vote

The 2024 primary election is rapidly approaching, and with it multiple election deadlines on both the local and state level. The North Carolina primary elections will take place on Mar. 5. These precede the presidential election and give voters a say in which representatives will represent their political party in November’s elections. 

North Carolina residents can check their voter registration status through the voter search at ncsbe.org. The website will tell individuals their registration status and where each voter’s  assigned polling place is. The deadline for registration to vote in the North Carolina primaries has passed, but same-day registration is available during the early voting period. If a person  misses the primary elections, individuals can register to vote in the presidential elections by Oct. 11 by filling out an application online with the DMV or submitting the NC voter registration application by mail. 

In-person early voting for the NC primaries will begin on Feb. 15, and same-day registration will be available during this period only. To find an early voting site in Wake County voters can visit wake.gov. To vote in-person, individuals must vote at their assigned polling location within the county they are registered to vote in. If that isn’t a viable option,  absentee voting is always an option.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Feb. 27. To view information about absentee voting and to request an absentee ballot, visit ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail. Whether voters  fill out the request form online or on paper, one still needs to mail in the actual absentee ballot by Mar. 5. In-person early voting ends on Mar. 2. 

Mar. 5 is primary election day, and if voters are registered in Wake County or in a county nearby this is when to vote in person at a polling site. Schools in Wake County have this day off, so many polling sites will be at local schools. When checking in to vote, make sure to bring any necessary North Carolina ID, as it will need to be shown when checking in.

  If no candidate meets the vote percentage requirement necessary, a second primary election may be held on May 14. 

Voting is an opportunity to represent an individual voice , and voting at the state or local level is often much more impactful than voting at a national level. 

By Liese Devine, Features Editor

Graphic by Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC