With the Nov. 5 election quickly approaching, a number of key dates and deadlines are coming up. Here’s what you need to know:
How to register to vote
The deadline for voter registration is Oct. 11. Cumberland County residents can register to vote by:
- Dropping off registration forms at the Cumberland County Board of Elections Office (227 Fountainhead Lane in Fayetteville).
- Sending voter registration forms in the mail to the Cumberland County Board of Elections. Forms sent this way must be postmarked by Oct. 11, which means they need to be received by the post office by that date. (It’s recommended to send your registration sooner than the deadline to ensure it’s processed on time.)
- Registering on the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles website.
Download and fill out a registration form from the State Board of Elections here. Registration forms are also available at the Cumberland County Board of Elections, as well several other locations around the county. To check your voter registration status, look it up here.
How to navigate new voter ID requirements
In 2023, North Carolina implemented voter ID requirements, which require voters to provide a valid form of photo identification at the polls. Residents who do not have a photo ID can get a free one issued by the Cumberland County Board of Elections. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Acceptable forms of ID include:
- North Carolina driver’s license
- State ID from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles
- Driver’s license or non-driver’s license from another state, provided the voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election
- U.S. passport or passport card
- Voter ID card issued by the county Board of Elections
- College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections
- State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections
Any voter who does not show an acceptable ID may cast a ballot in one of two ways:
- Complete an ID exception form and vote with a provisional ballot.
- Vote with a provisional ballot and return it to the Board of Elections Office with a photo ID by the day before the county canvass.
Who can use expired IDs:
- Any voter who is 65 or older may use an expired form of acceptable ID if the ID was unexpired on their 65th birthday
- Those with a military or veterans ID card (with photo) issued by the U.S. government
- Those with a tribal enrollment card (with photo) issued by a tribe recognized by the state of North Carolina or the federal government
For more information on voter ID, consult this fact sheet.
How to vote early, get absentee ballots
Any eligible voter who registers to vote by the Oct. 11 voter registration deadline can cast their ballot during the early voting period. The early voting period starts Oct. 17 and runs until 3 p.m. on Nov. 2. Registered voters can also update their address and make other changes to their registration record at early voting sites.
According to the State Board of Elections, early voting sites in Cumberland County include:
- Cliffdale Recreation Center at 6404 Cliffdale Road in Fayetteville
- College Lakes Recreation Center at 4945 Rosehill Road in Fayetteville
- East Regional Library at 4809 Clinton Road in Fayetteville
- Gray’s Creek Recreation Center at 2964 School Road in Hope Mills
- Kiwanis Recreation Center at 352 Deavers St. in Fayetteville
- Smith Recreation Center at 1520 Slater Ave. in Fayetteville
- Spring Lake Multipurpose Community Center at 245 Ruth St. in Spring Lake
- Stoney Point Recreation Center at 7411 Rockfish Road in Fayetteville
To request an absentee ballot, visit the absentee ballot portal on the state Board of Elections website. The last day to request an absentee ballot to be sent by mail is Oct. 29 (by 5 p.m.).
The last day to request a late absentee ballot due to sickness or physical disability, as an active duty military voter and/or a U.S. citizen overseas, is Nov. 4 by 5 p.m. All absentee ballots must be received by the Cumberland County Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on election day, Nov. 5.
A schedule of important election deadlines is available here. For more information and any updates about voting, visit the Cumberland County Board of Elections website.
Contact Evey Weisblat at eweisblat@cityviewnc.com or 216-527-3608. “This story was made possible by donations from readers like you to CityView News Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to an informed democracy in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”
