This is taken from the North Carolina 2020 Absentee Ballot Request Form.
1. Why Should You Care? The general election is set for Tuesday, November 3rd . It is unlikely that we will have a COVID-19 vaccine by this date, let alone have had enough time to innoculate the whole population. Additionally, there could be a 2nd wave that could impact your ability to get to the polls to cast your vote. By requesting an Absentee Ballot, you will be able to mail/deliver your vote without jeapardizing yourself nor your family and friends.
2. When can I fill in the attached form and send to my County Board of Elections? Now!
3. How do I make a request for an Absentee Ballot? Read through the information on Page 2, Complete the form on Page 3, and mail the completed form to your County Board of Elections found on Page 4.
4. What is the cutoff to submit the attached form? No later than 5pm the Tuesday before the general election, October 27, 2020.
5. Can I request an Absentee Ballot and then change my mind and decide to vote in person? Yes. Along as you have not returned the Absentee Ballot to your County Board of Elections, you can still vote in person during Early Elections or on Election Day. But once you have returned your Absentee Ballot, you have voted and can not vote again for this election.
6. If I decide to vote in person, do I need to take my Absentee Ballot? No. The poll workers will provide you a new ballot to be used. You may bring the Absentee Ballot if you desire but you will not be able to use that Absentee Ballot as your in-person Ballot.
7. When will I receive my actual Absentee Ballot? Once the ballots have been locked and printed.
8. What is required to complete the Absentee Ballot? Follow the directions that come with the Absentee Ballot. Currently there are two ways to verify an Absentee Ballot is valid: 1) Two signatures that attest that you alone have made your selections or 2) You make your selections with a Notary Present. There is current legislation pending that could change this requirement, so follow the directions that will come with the Absentee Ballot.
9. How do I return my Absentee Ballot? Once you have completed the directions, you can mail the Absentee Ballot to your County Board of Elections. Some County Board of Elections will have drop boxes available; follow the directions that come with your Absentee Ballot. Note only the voter or the voter’s near relative (spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child,
grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild) may take possession of the absentee ballot for purposes of returning the ballot to the board of elections.
10. May I mail my voted absentee ballot in the same envelope as another person’s envelope? No. The envelope is specific to that voter and must contain only that voter’s ballot. So a husband and wife can NOT place their ballots in the same return envelope.
11. When do I need to return my Absentee Ballot in order for it to count? You need to have the Absentee Ballot at your County Board of Election Offices by 5pm on November 3, 2020 OR Post Marked by the Post Office by 5pm on November 3, 2020 and then delivered by the Post Office at the County Board of Elections Office no later than 5pm on November 6, 2020.
12. How can I verify my Ballot has been received? You can go to your counties Board of Elections website to see if they can provide your past and current voting status. This is the Wake County site: http://www.wakegov.com/elections/voters/Pages/voterinfo.aspx
13. By filling in this form will this also register me to vote? No. You need to be registered PRIOR to requesting an Absentee Ballot. You can contact your County Board of Elections or go via this website: https://www.ncsbe.gov/Voters/Registering-to-Vote to register.
14. Additional Details on Absentee Voting can be found here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/Voting-Options/Absentee-Voting and
you should also check your counties Board of Elections web site.
15. Still have Questions? Contact your local County Board of Elections, phone numbers are provided on page 4.