Frequently Asked Questions

Click on a category below to jump to that FAQ section:

• About the Elections
• Early or Absentee Voting
• Moves and Address Changes
• Voter Registration
• Voting

About the Elections

What is a municipal election?

A municipal election in Johnston County is a non-partisan election held every two years in odd-numbered years to elect members of a municipality's governing bodies.

There are 11 municipalities whose boundaries lie within Johnston County: Archer Lodge, Selma, Clayton, Princeton, Micro, Benson, Four Oaks, Pine Level, Smithfield, Kenly, and Wilson's Mills.

For more information on the governing bodies of these municipalities, visit the town websites.

Early or Absentee Voting

How do I request an absentee ballot? May someone request an absentee ballot for me?

Please see our page on Voting by Absentee Ballot.

Do I have to request an absentee ballot for each election?

Yes; however, if you are requesting an absentee ballot for a primary, you may simultaneously request that a General Election absentee ballot be sent to you, as well. The absentee ballots will be mailed separately at the appropriate time.

When is the deadline for requesting an absentee ballot?

The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before an election.

When is the deadline for returning an absentee ballot?

The deadline to return an absentee ballot is Election Day by 7:30 p.m.

What may a person in possession of a Power of Attorney do for an absentee voter?

A person in possession of a Power of Attorney for an individual is not permitted to apply for voter registration, to vote in person, or to vote by absentee ballot for the individual.

May another person return my absentee ballot for me?

Yes, if that person is your spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in- law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild.

May two people return their ballots in the same envelope?

No. The returned ballot envelope is specific to each voter and must contain that voter’s ballot.

May I hand-deliver my voted absentee ballot to the Board of Elections office?

Yes. Your voted absentee ballot must be in the Johnston County Board of Elections Office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

When will my absentee ballot be counted?

The mail-in absentee ballots are counted at 2 p.m., on Election Day, but the results are not posted until 7:30 p.m., after the closing of the polls on Election Day.

I heard that if I vote absentee by mail or at an early voting site, then my vote may not get counted. Is that true?

NO. Your vote will be counted on Election Day along with the ballots cast in the precincts.

Where can I learn more about absentee voting for military and overseas voters?

Visit the State Board of Elections or the Federal Voting Assistance Program.

Where can I find a list of early voting sites for upcoming elections?

Early voting sites are approved by the Board 2-4 months prior to an election. As soon as early voting sites, dates, and times are finalized, they will be posted on the Board of Elections website at November 2024 Presidential Election Early Voting Locations and Schedule.

Who can vote at an early voting site?

Any eligible Johnston County voter may vote at any Johnston County early voting site. All ballot styles are available at every early voting site, so you will receive the same ballot you would receive if you went to your assigned polling place on Election Day.

I heard that if I vote absentee by mail or at an early voting site, then my vote may not get counted. Is that true?

NO. Your vote will be counted on Election Day along with the ballots cast in the precincts.

Can I change my party affiliation at an early voting site?

No. Registered voters must submit changes to party affiliation by the registration deadline (25 days before Election Day). Name or address changes can be processed at early voting sites.

Moves and Address Changes

How and where can I get a voter registration form or change of address and party form?

You can download the forms from our Forms and Brochures page, or you can pick up a form at any Johnston County Public Library, any town hall, or the Board of Elections office.

Complete and sign the form, then mail it to us. Registered voters may use the form to update their name, address and party. Registered voters may also update their registration information by completing the back of their voter card and mailing or delivering it to the Johnston County Board of Elections. Our mailing address is:

Johnston County Board of Elections
P.O. Box 1172
Smithfield, NC 27577

How should I vote if I moved within Johnston County but did not send an address change before the election?

If you moved within Johnston County more than 30 days prior to an election and failed to notify the Board of Elections, you have two options:

• Vote early at an early voting location. NC General Statutes allow voters to change their address and vote the correct ballot for that updated address when voting at any early voting location. Near the date of the next election, visit the Early Voting Sites page to view a list of early voting sites. Early voting is the easiest and quickest option if you did not update your address.
• Vote at your new precinct on Election Day. You may be required to vote a provisional ballot. Please give yourself plenty of time to update your information at your new precinct. The process requires additional time to complete the forms necessary to update your information before you can be issued a ballot. Call or e-mail the Board of Elections for further information at 919-989-5095 or elections@johnstonnc.com.

I moved less than 30 days before Election Day, and I don’t know where to vote.

If you moved less than 30 days before the date of the election, you must vote at your old precinct or at an early voting location.

I moved more than 30 days before Election Day, but I didn’t get a new voter registration card and don’t know where to vote.

If you updated your address with the Board of Elections, you may go to your new precinct.

If you go the old precinct, you must tell the election officials where you have moved to, and they will refer you to your correct voting precinct.

The easiest and most convenient way to vote is at an early voting location.

How should I vote if I moved within Johnston County but did not send an address change before the election?

On Election Day, you should vote in your assigned precinct in order to make sure that you receive a ballot that contains all races for which you are eligible to vote. If you think you may not make it to your precinct on Election Day, please consider voting early at an early voting site.

If you go to the wrong polling place, you may be required to vote a provisional ballot. By showing up at the wrong location, you may not get to vote for your correct jurisdictional representatives, such as School Board or State House and Senate Representatives. As a result, your provisional ballot may only be partially counted. Please plan to allow yourself additional time at the polls if you go to the wrong precinct. All proper forms, documentation, and ballot verification must be made before you can be issued a ballot at the incorrect polling place.

Voter Registration

When is the deadline to register to vote in an election?

If mailed, the registration form must be postmarked at least 25 days prior to the election.

If hand-delivered, the registration form must be received at the Board of Elections office no later than 5 p.m. on the 25th day prior to the election or postmarked by that date.

What should I do if I missed the voter registration deadline?

If you did not register to vote by the 25th day before an election, you may register and vote at the same time at any early voting location. Closer to the date of the next election, visit https://www.joconcelections.org to view a list of early voting sites.

Do I need my voter registration card in order to vote?

NO, you do not need your voter registration card to vote. You will state your name and address (and party affiliation if it is a Primary).

How do I request to cancel the voter registration of a deceased voter?

The Board of Elections removes voters listed on an official list of deceased persons sent by the state each month. In addition, a near relative may submit a written request to remove the voter registration of a deceased voter using the Notice of Deceased Voter form.

Voting

When are the polls open?

On Election Day, the polls are open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Please also see the information on the How to Vote - General Instructions page.

How do I know where to vote?

You are assigned a polling place based on the precinct where you live. You can look up your Polling Location on the State Voter Lookup Search.

If you do not know where to vote or if you have moved from the residence address we have on file, don't wait until Election Day! You may experience a delay in voting if your residence address is not up to date or if we have sent mail to your voter registration address that was returned to us by the Postal Service. Vote at one of the Early Voting locations instead.

Where can I find driving directions to my voting place?

Click on the addresses shown on the Voting Precincts and Polling Places page to view driving directions to each location.

Where can I view a sample ballot?

Near the date of each election, you can view and print a sample ballot from the Johnston County Board of Elections website.

Do I have to show my ID at the polls?

Yes. Starting with the 2023 Municipal Elections, voters are now required to show a photo ID.

I am at the wrong polling place. Can I vote here anyway?

On Election Day, you should vote in your assigned precinct in order to make sure that you receive a ballot that contains all races for which you are eligible to vote. If you think you may not make it to your precinct on Election Day, please consider voting early at an early voting site.

If you go to the wrong polling place, you may be required to vote a provisional ballot. By showing up at the wrong location, you may not get to vote for your correct jurisdictional representatives, such as School Board or State House and Senate Representatives. As a result, your provisional ballot may only be partially counted. Please plan to allow yourself additional time at the polls if you go to the wrong precinct. All proper forms, documentation, and ballot verification must be made before you can be issued a ballot at the incorrect polling place.

Can I wear a button or T-shirt into my polling place that endorses a particular candidate on it?

Per Don Wright, General Counsel for the North Carolina State Board of Elections:
A voter may enter a voting place to vote wearing political items as long as they proceed to vote in an orderly and timely manner, and do not attempt to electioneer within the voting place. A voter wearing a T-shirt that states "vote for X," shouts "vote for X," or places his T-shirt in the sight line of voters asking support for "X" is obviously electioneering and will be asked to refrain from the conduct at once and, if they continue, will be removed.

A voter who has a political cap, T-shirt or button and does not electioneer within the polling place will be allowed to vote in a normal manner. A voter wearing a political item does not violate GS 163-166.4. We do not know what the laws of other states provide. You have to contact them.
Don Wright, General Counsel, NC State Board of Elections

§ 163 166.4. Limitation on activity in the voting place and in a buffer zone around it.
(a) Buffer Zone and Adjacent Area for Election Related Activity. – No person or group of persons shall hinder access, harass others, distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election related activity in the voting place or in a buffer zone which shall be prescribed by the county board of elections around the voting place. In determining the dimensions of that buffer zone for each voting place, the county board of elections shall, where practical, set the limit at 50 feet from the door of entrance to the voting place, measured when that door is closed, but in no event shall it set the limit at more than 50 feet or at less than 25 feet. Except as provided in subsection (b), the county board of elections shall also provide an area adjacent to the buffer zone for each voting place in which persons or groups of persons may distribute campaign literature, place political advertising, solicit votes, or otherwise engage in election related activity.
(b) Special Agreements About Election Related Activity. – The Executive Director of the State Board of Elections may grant special permission for a county board of elections to enter into an agreement with the owners or managers of a nonpublic building to use the building as a voting place on the condition that election-related activity as described in subsection (a) of this section not be permitted on their property adjacent to the buffer zone, if the Executive Director finds all of the following:
(1) That no other suitable voting place can be secured for the precinct.
(2) That the county board will require the chief judge of the precinct to monitor the grounds around the voting place to ensure that the restriction on election-related activity shall apply to all candidates and parties equally.
(3) That the pattern of voting places subject to agreements under this subsection does not disproportionately favor any party, racial or ethnic group, or candidate. An agreement under this subsection shall be valid for as long as the nonpublic building is used as a voting place.
(c) Notice About Buffer Zone. – No later than 30 days before each election, the county board of elections shall make available to the public the following information concerning each voting place:
(1) The door from which the buffer zone is measured.
(2) The distance the buffer zone extends from that door.
(3) Any available information concerning where political activity, including sign placement, is permitted beyond the buffer zone.
(d) Buffer Zone at One Stop Sites. –The provisions of this section shall apply to one stop voting sites in G.S. 163 227.2, except that the notice in subsection (c) of this section shall be provided no later than 10 days before the opening of one stop voting at the site. (2001 460, s. 3; 2003 365, s. 1; 2007 391, s. 13.)

I saw somebody at the polls today who does not live in this precinct anymore. How do I get that person to vote where he/she is supposed to?

Talk to the precinct officials and file an Election Day Challenge. They have the forms and instructions. You can also contact the Board of Elections office, and we'll tell you about additional options. Either way, thanks for keeping your eyes open!

What if I am unable to enter the polling place because of age or physical disability?

• You may request an absentee ballot, OR

• If you prefer to vote on Election Day or at an early voting site but are unable to enter the facility, you may vote outside the voting location in your car. This procedure is called "curbside voting." Look for the curbside voting sign near the entrance to the voting place and park there. A precinct election official will assist you in verifying your registration information and bringing you a ballot. If you cannot locate a precinct election official in the parking lot, please ask someone to enter the voting place and inform the election officials that you need assistance.

I plan to bring a voter to vote curbside. Can I sit in the car and vote curbside, too?

ONLY if you also cannot enter the polling place due to age or physical disability.

Can I bring someone with me to provide physical assistance or to help me vote?

The guidelines for voter assistance are listed below:

§ 163-166.8. Assistance to voters.
(a) Any registered voter qualified to vote in the election shall be entitled to assistance with entering and exiting the voting booth and in preparing ballots in accordance with the following rules:
(1) Any voter is entitled to assistance from the voter's spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild, as chosen by the voter.
(2) A voter in any of the following four categories is entitled to assistance from a person of the voter's choice, other than the voter's employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter's union:
a. A voter who, on account of physical disability, is unable to enter the voting booth without assistance.
b. A voter who, on account of physical disability, is unable to mark a ballot without assistance.
c. A voter who, on account of illiteracy, is unable to mark a ballot without assistance.
d. A voter who, on account of blindness, is unable to enter the voting booth or mark a ballot without assistance.
(b) A qualified voter seeking assistance in an election shall, upon arriving at the voting place, request permission from the chief judge to have assistance, stating the reasons. If the chief judge determines that such assistance is appropriate, the chief judge shall ask the voter to point out and identify the person the voter desires to provide such assistance. If the identified person meets the criteria in subsection (a) of this section, the chief judge shall request the person indicated to render the assistance. The chief judge, one of the judges, or one of the assistants may provide aid to the voter if so requested, if the election official is not prohibited by subdivision
(a)(2) of this section. Under no circumstances shall any precinct official be assigned to assist a voter qualified for assistance, who was not specified by the voter.
(c) A person rendering assistance to a voter in an election shall be admitted to the voting booth with the voter being assisted. The State Board of Elections shall promulgate rules governing voter assistance, and those rules shall adhere to the following guidelines:
(1) The person rendering assistance shall not in any manner seek to persuade or induce any voter to cast any vote in any particular way.
(2) The person rendering assistance shall not make or keep any memorandum of anything which occurs within the voting booth.
(3) The person rendering assistance shall not, directly or indirectly, reveal to any person how the assisted voter marked ballots, unless the person rendering assistance is called upon to testify in a judicial proceeding for a violation of the election laws.

I am legally blind. Can someone accompany me in the voting booth?

Yes, you may receive assistance from any person of your choice, except your employer or union agent. Alternately, you may ask one of the precinct election officials to assist you.

Can my Power of Attorney vote for me?

No. If you cannot make it to the polls, you may request an absentee ballot.

I am registered unaffiliated. May I vote in a primary election?

Party affiliation determines the primary in which a voter is eligible to vote. If you do not declare a party, you will be registered as unaffiliated. In a partisan primary election, you must choose which party ballot you wish to vote when you go to your voting place.

I will be away on Election Day. How do I vote by absentee ballot?

Any registered voter in Johnston County may request an absentee ballot or may vote at an early voting site. No excuse is required.