The 2026 midterm election is approaching, with early voting ending in 10 days and an important deadline for absentee ballots passed as of Oct. 20.
The general deadline to request an absentee ballot passed on Oct. 20, falling two weeks before Election Day, but voters still have time to vote early or on Election Day. For those who did get an absentee ballot, the deadline for absentee ballots to be received is the same as the deadline for votes cast on Election Day: 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3.
In recent months, new laws around signature matching and changes to envelope requirements for absentee ballots have been put into place. Here's what to know.
When does my absentee ballot need to be in by in North Carolina?
The deadline to request an absentee ballot is two weeks before Election Day. This year, that date was Oct.
20, though the deadline differs for military and overseas citizen voters. Absentee ballots must be received by your designated county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
Are absentee ballots still legal in NC?
Yes - however, new ballot rules around North Carolina's mail-in votes have created a higher rejection rate for such ballots. Gov. Josh Stein warned about the issue in an Oct. 20 post on X.
"The State Board of Elections’ last-minute changes to voting by mail are leading to thousands more absentee ballots being rejected this election – at a rejection rate twice as high as in 2022," Stein wrote. "It’s infuriating. North Carolinians, please make a plan to vote this year, in person if possible. And if you’re voting by mail, make sure you seal both envelopes on your ballot. Don’t let them take away your vote."
What are Norht Carolina's new absentee ballot rules?
New rules around ballots were adopted on Sept. 4 in the state. Ballots are now subject to signature verification and must arrive in a sealed inner envelope, or they will not be accepted.
How to vote by mail in North Carolina
After requesting and receiving an N.C. absentee ballot, the following steps must be taken to ensure your absentee ballot is counted:
- Mark your ballot in the presence of a notary public or two witnesses
- Seal your ballot by placing it in the return envelope that came with the ballot and sealing the envelope
- Sign your name on the back of the envelope.
- Have each witness or notary public sign the envelope, print their full name and provide their full address on the back of the envelope
- If you received assistance, have the assistant sign the envelope
- Include a copy of your photo ID in the clear sleeve on the back of the ballot envelope
- Place the completed and sealed ballot envelope inside the absentee return envelope for mailing or delivering to an early voting site or county board office
For more information, visit ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.
When does early voting end in North Carolina?
Early voting in North Carolina ends in 10 days at 3 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Rules have changed for 2026 absentee voting in NC. See deadlines
