What are the eligibility requirements for registering to vote in Wake County?
- You must be a United States citizen.
- You must be 18 years old or will be at the time of the next general election.
- You must be a resident of Wake County, North Carolina, for 30 days before the election in which you intend to vote.
- You must not vote in any other county or state after submitting a voter registration application in Wake County. If registered elsewhere, you understand that you are canceling that registration upon becoming registered to vote in Wake County.
- You must not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, post-release supervision, or parole.
Voter Registration FAQs
I am already registered but need to update something, where is that form?
The process of registering to vote and updating voter registration information (including name, address, party affiliation, etc.) are exactly the same. A new registration form must be completed and submitted to your county board of elections. You may print the voter registration form or register/update through the NCDMV. If you have a voter registration card from your county, you may use the back of the card as a registration form to update any information.
How do I check my registration information?
I submitted a form, but I am not finding myself in the voter lookup tool. Why is this?
Please be aware of certain statutory deadlines during which new voter registrations may not be processed. The voter registration deadline is 25 days prior to each election. Additionally, party changes will not be processed after the deadline for a primary and may be held until after a second primary, if necessary. These deadlines and procedures also apply to voter registrations submitted through the NCDMV.
Voters may register and vote at an Early Voting site after the registration deadline.
If you have questions or suspect there is another reason you are not able to find your registration, please contact us!
I registered/updated my information. When will I receive my new voter registration card?
After your request is received and processed, you should receive your voter card in the mail within two to three weeks. If it has been longer than three weeks and the registration was not submitted within 25 days of an election or primary, please contact us!
I received a voter card in the mail for a person that does not live here. What should I do?
Please write "Return To Sender" on the envelope and give the envelope to the USPS for processing. Once we receive the envelope, we will begin the list maintenance procedure.
NC DMV Customer Online Voter Registration
If you are a DMV customer with a N.C. driver’s license or DMV-issued ID, you may now register to vote or change certain parts of your registration online. Using this service existing DMV customers may:
- Register to vote
- Update their voter registration address
- Update their party affiliation
- They may NOT change their name
This is a standalone service that does not require the user to complete a DMV transaction (such as duplicate or license renewal) at the same time. There is no fee for voter registration services.
Voter registration applications submitted fewer than 25 days before an election will not be processed until after the election. You may still register to vote in person using same-day registration in your county during the early voting period.
Voter Photo ID
Voters will now be asked to present a valid photo identification when voting in person. If you do not have a valid photo ID card, you may obtain one from your county board of elections prior to the election, through the end of the early voting period. If you do not have a valid photo ID card on Election Day, you may still vote and have your vote counted by signing an affidavit of reasonable impediment (or "Photo ID Exception Form") as to why you have not presented a valid photo ID. The Exception Form can also be used if you have a religious objection to being photographed or are a victim of a recently declared natural disaster. As an alternative, if you don't have your ID when you vote, you can still vote and then bring your valid photo ID to your county board of elections by 5 p.m. on the ninth day after Election Day (or the sixth day after Election Day for September or October local elections). If you vote by mail, then you must include a photocopy of a valid photo ID when returning your ballot. You may also complete the Absentee Photo ID Exception Form that is provided with your absentee ballot materials.
For a full list of acceptable forms of identification for voting in North Carolina, visit NCSBE.gov
Registered Wake County voters who do not already have an acceptable form of identification for voting purposes may obtain a free photo ID card at the DMV or the Board of Elections Operations Center.
Board of Elections Operations Center
1200 N. New Hope Road
Raleigh, NC 27610
voter@wake.gov
919-404-4040
Registered Wake County voters interested in obtaining an ID from our office can visit in-person Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 5:15 p.m. No special documents are needed. Voters will simply provide their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number, and have their photo taken.