Hurricane Florence’s aftermath resulted in thousands of North Carolina residents being displaced from their homes. This sudden change of address or living situation does not, and should not, prevent a citizen from expressing their right to vote. Those who find themselves in this type of situation have three options this voting season. They include submitting an absentee ballot if you are temporarily removed, early voting in your home county if it is safe to return and registering to vote at your new address if you do not plan to return.
Submitting an Absentee Ballot
Any voter can request an absentee ballot by submitting an absentee ballot request form in-person or by mail, fax or email to their county’s Board of Elections by 5pm on October 30, 2018. The completed absentee ballot and return-container envelope must be signed by two witnesses over the age of 18 or a notary and must be postmarked or delivered in person by 5pm on election day, November 6, 2018.
The absentee ballot request form can be found here: http://bit.ly/NCAbsentee
Early Voting
Voters can vote at any early voting location in their county from October 17 to November 3.
Early voting locations and hours can be found here: http://bit.ly/NCRegistration
Register at New Address
Since the October 12th deadline has passed for registration applications, voters can register during the early-voting period using same day registration by bringing proof of residence such as a utility bill, bank statement or any utility document.
If you are still unsure of which option best applies to your situation, please contact the Southern Coalition for Social Justice at (919)321-1848.
Hurricane Florence Disaster Relief Resources