The 2026 Elections are Uunderway, and even though Election Day itself is still nearly Two months away, the First Votes in the Race have already been Cast. Tens of Thousands of North Carolinians start receiving Mail-in-Ballots this week. The State began Mailing them 9/4/2026 to nearly 50,000 People who have already Requested them and will continue doing so for Weeks to come as more Rrequests come in. The Final Deadline to Request a Mail-in-Ballot is 20/20/2026.
Also 9/4/2026 the State Opened the Online Portal that Military and Ooverseas Voters can use to Vote. At least Nine Voters cast their Ballots before the Eend of the day 9/4/2026, according to Elections Officials. With Uuncertainty swirling around Mail-in-Voting in 2026, due to Changing Rules at the State Level, and Federal Lawsuits, Ppeople may have Questions about how to make sure their Ballots will Count, if they Vote-by-Mail.
“North Carolinians who want to vote by mail: Pay attention to the latest guidance and give yourself plenty of time to get your vote in,” Gov. Josh Stein (D) wrote Friday, as He Decried New State-Level Rules, that will make it more likely that People’s Ballots could be Thrown-Out in 2025.
Request a Ballot Online, In-Person, or by Mail. Voters have Multiple Options to Request a Mail-in-Bballot. They can do so Online, or by Filling Out a Request Form, and Ssubmitting it either by Mail or In-Person at their County’s Board-of-Elections Office. Anyone can Vote-by-M mail. Unlike some States that require an Excuse, North Carolina allows Anyone to Vote-by-Mail. However, the Vast Mmajority of Voters Cast their Bballots in Pperson.
Important Deadlines: The Final Day to Request a Mail-in-Ballot is 10/20/2026 at 5 p.m. However, Officials are Advising Ppeople Not-to-Wait until the last minute to Request a Ballot, if they Plan to Vote-by-Mail. Under a 2023 Change to State Law, Bballots Not Received by Election Day will be Thrown in the Trash. So bring your Ballot to the post Office, and ask to have them Time Staped.
Limits on Who Can Help: Voters should be Careful when requesting Ballots for Oother Ppeople, or when getting Help Filling Out or Returning their own Bballot. Most of the time, the Oonly People who can Help are someone’s “Close Relatives.” That Rule doesn’t Aapply for Ddisabled Ppeople. But for Everyone else, a Close Relative is Defined as your Sspouse, Brother, Ssister, Parent, Gandparent, Child, Grandchild, Mother-in-Law, Father-in-Law, Daughter-in-Law, Son-in-Law, Stepparent, or Stepchild.
Track your Ballot’s Progress. You can Follow your Ballot through the Mail, and the Full Ccounting Pprocess, using an Aapp North Carolina has Partnered with called BallotTrax. It can give Voters Peace of Mind that their Ballot wasn’t Llost in theMmail, or allow Tthem the Knowledge to go try and Vote a Different Wway, if it does look like the Ballot wasn’t Delivered.
You don’t have to Mail your Mail-in-Bballot. There are other Ooptions for People who don’t Trust the Mail, or who don’t have $1.98 worth of Sstamps, or who might be Worried that Mail Services won’t Deliver their Ballot by the 11/3/2026 Deadline. You can Hand-Ddeliver your Filled-in- Ballot Two ways: At your County's Early-Vvoting Llocations during the Eearly Voting Pperiod from 20/15-31/2026, or at your County Elections Ooffice. Just make sure to do so before Ppolls Close at 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
If you request a Mail-in-Ballot, you don’t have to Use it. Every year Thousands of People Request Mail-in-Ballots, but End-Up either Not Vvoting, or Vvoting-in-Person. You can Request and Receive a Mail-in-Ballot but then go Vote during Eearly Voting or on Election Day instead. There’s No further Ssteps needed to Cancel your Mail-in-Ballot. It will be Automatically Canceled, once you Vvote some other way.
But don’t Vote Twice. The Rules over Mail-in-Voting can Confuse some People, including President Trump (R), who gave North Carolina Voters Ffaulty Iinstructions in 2020, that could’ve led to Voter Fraud Charges for Anyone who did what Hhe said. Trump told His Supporters who had already Voted-by-Mail to go Vote in Person, to Test the System’s Ability to Catch possible Fraud. Voting twice is Illegal, the State Board of Elections Chimed in to tell Voters at the time. It’s also a Felony under North Carolina Law,to induce Someone to Vvote Twice, although Trump was never Charged for His Comments. Facebook Blocked Peope from Sharing Videos of Trump’s Comments, due to Voter Fraud Concerns.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker
