Any registered voter in Brunswick County may vote by absentee ballot.  There are three steps to voting by absentee ballot:

1. Request your ballot
2. Vote your ballot
3. Return your ballot

1.  Request Your Ballot

Requests for the 2022 general election must be received by the Board of Elections no later than 5 pm on Tuesday, November 1.

2.  Vote Your Ballot

Mark your ballot by filling in the rectangle next to the candidate(s) of your choice using a blue or black pen. Vote your ballot in the presence of two witnesses OR a notary public.  The witnesses or notary should observe you mark the ballot, not see how you vote.

Seal your ballot in the return envelope that came with your ballot packet.

1. The voter must sign the return envelope under “Voter, sign here:”
2. The witnesses or notary must sign the envelope.  Each witness will sign their name, print their name, and provide their full address.
3. If you received assistance with your ballot, the assistant must sign their name, print their name, and provide their full address on the envelope.

3.  Return Your Ballot

Return your ballot by mail

Place correct postage on the ballot (one First-Class or Forever Stamp). For the general election, your ballot must be postmarked by Election Day, November 8, 2022, and received no later than 5 pm three days after Election Day. *For the 2022 General Election, three days after Election Day is Friday, November 11, a state and federal holiday.  This moves the deadline to 5 pm Monday, November 14.*

The United States Postal Service recommends that you mail your ballot at least one week before the election.  If you mail your ballot close to Election Day, it is recommended that you go inside the post office and ask that a postmark be placed on the envelope. If a ballot is received after Election Day and it does not contain a postmark, it is not eligible to be counted.

Return Your Ballot in person

You can return your ballot to our office no later than 5 pm on Election Day, November 8.  You can also return your ballot to a one-stop early voting site.  You may not return your ballot to a polling place on Election Day.  If your ballot is returned in person, the person delivering the ballot is required to complete a return log.

Who can return a ballot?

According to state law, the ballot can only be returned by:

1. The voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian. A near relative is your: Spouse, brother, sister, parent, child, stepchild, grandparent, grandchild, stepparent, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, or son-in-law.
2. A Multipartisan Assistance Team, upon request of a voter who needs assistance due to a disability. The assistant must complete the Voter Assistant Certification section of the envelope.
3. A person who assisted upon request of the voter, due to the voter’s disability. The assistant must complete the Voter Assistant Certification section of the envelope.

 

Accessible Absentee Voting

If you are a blind or visually impaired voter in North Carolina, you can request, mark, and return an accessible absentee ballot online through a system that is compatible with screen readers and that allows for a digital or typed signature. Learn more at Accessible Absentee Voting.

If you live at a facility such as a hospital, clinic, or nursing home, find details about receiving assistance with mail-in voting and other services provided by a multipartisan assistance team (MAT) at Assistance for Voters in Care Facilities.

Can someone request an absentee ballot for me?

Yes. Your near relative or legal guardian may request a ballot for you. A near relative is: your spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild.  Any person may request an absentee ballot for a voter who needs assistance due to a disability, according to the voter’s instruction.  The assistant must complete either Section 8 or 9.