Early Voting Begins Across Parts of North Carolina for July 26th Elections; Postage Set to Increase for Absentee Ballots

The in-person early voting period is open for the July 26 municipal general elections, runoffs, and, in Graham and Wake counties, second primaries for sheriff.

Early voting ends at 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 23.

The following contests will be decided on July 26:

  • Six municipalities – Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Hickory, Mooresville, and Sanford – will hold local general elections for mayor and/or city or town council.
  • Other municipalities and boards of education will hold runoff elections for certain offices. They are: Cary, New Bern, Rocky Mount, Statesville, the Franklin County Board of Education, and the Jackson County Board of Education.
  • Second primaries will be held for the Republican nomination for sheriff in Graham County and the Democratic nomination for sheriff in Wake County.

The following are a few reminders from the State Board about in-person early voting:

  • For voters eligible to vote in the July 26 elections, sample ballots are available through the Voter Search tool. Scroll down to the “Your Sample Ballot” section. If a link to a sample ballot is available, the voter is eligible to vote in the July 26 election.
  • See candidate lists for the July 26 election.
  • Eligible individuals may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county. For sites and hours in the counties conducting elections, see the One-Stop Early Voting Sites search tool or One-Stop Voting Sites for the July 26, 2022 Election (PDF).
  • Eligible individuals who missed the regular voter registration deadline on July 1 may register and vote at the same time during the early voting period. Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. For more information, visit Register in Person During Early Voting. This is the only option for individuals who missed the regular registration deadline to be able to register and vote on July 26.
  • When you check in to vote at an early voting site, you may update your name or address within the same county, if necessary. You may not change your party affiliation at an early voting site.
  • For more information about early voting, please visit Vote Early in Person.
  • For more information on the July 26 elections, see Upcoming Election.

Postage Cost Increases for Absentee-by-Mail Voters

Beginning July 10, the U.S. Postal Service is increasing the price of a First-Class Mail stamp from 58 cents to 60 cents. Accordingly, absentee-by-mail voters should place 60 cents in postage or one Forever stamp on their ballot-return envelope before mailing it back to their county board of elections office.