Zoom backgrounds:
Social Workers Vote
Our right to vote is so important. Social workers should be informed of who to vote for as these elected officials make key decisions on issues impacting the profession, including funding for social work related programs. Social workers are also in a
unique position to help their clients register to vote and be informed about upcoming elections.
It also happens to be in our NASW Code of Ethics:
The NASW Code of Ethics standard 6.02: Public Participation states:
Social workers should facilitate informed participation by the public in shaping social policies and institutions.
Standard 6.04: Social and Political Action states:
Social workers should promote policies and practices that demonstrate respect for difference, support the expansion of cultural knowledge and resources, advocate for programs and institutions that demonstrate cultural competence, and
promote policies that safeguard the rights and confirm equity and social justice for all people.
Jump to a section:
- Important Dates and Deadlines
- Photo ID Information
- NC-PACE Endorsements
- General Voting Resources
- Population-Specific Voting Info
Here are voter dates and deadlines for the November 2025 Municipal Voting Dates in North Carolina:
- Oct. 3 — County boards begin sending absentee ballots to voters who requested them.
- Oct. 10: 5 p.m. — Voter registration deadline.
- Oct. 16–Nov. 1 — In-person early voting period. Ends at 3 p.m. the last day.
- Oct. 21: 5 p.m. — Absentee ballot request deadline.
- Nov. 4: 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. — Polls open on Election Day.
- Nov. 4: 7:30 p.m. — Absentee ballot return deadline.
- Nov. 7: Noon — Deadline to show acceptable ID for voters who voted a provisional ballot because they did not have their ID with them when they checked in to vote.
- Does not apply to voters who completed the ID Exception Form instead of showing photo ID.
- Nov. 7: Noon — Deadline for voters who voted a provisional ballot and still need to show HAVE A ID or provide other missing information to their county board.
- Nov. 14: 11 a.m. — County boards of elections meet to certify election results.
Voting in Municipal Elections
To be eligible to vote in a municipal election, the voter must live in that municipality for at least 30 days before Election Day. North Carolina residents who live outside the boundaries of a municipality, such as an unincorporated part of a county, are not eligible to vote in a municipal election.
With the Voter Search tool, registered voters can determine if they live in an area that conducts municipal elections by finding a municipality under “Your Jurisdictions.”
All registered and eligible voters will find their sample ballot(s) in the “Your Sample Ballot” section of their Voter Search profile as they become available.
The voter registration deadline is 25 days before Election Day. Find out how to register.
For information on how to vote in municipal elections, see the following pages:
For more information about municipal elections in your area, contact your county board of elections.
Find important dates for upcoming elections on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.
Back to the Top of the Page
Photo ID is now required to vote in all elections in North Carolina. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has issued a fact sheet on the change. You can also watch a video HERE on the new photo ID law for voting.
Most
voters will simply show their NC driver’s license, but many other types
of photo ID (including many student university/college IDs) will be
accepted. See the full list of acceptable IDs here!
Voters
who vote by mail will be asked to include a photocopy of an acceptable
ID inside the photo ID envelope that comes with their ballot.
If they are unable to include a photocopy of their ID, they may complete
an ID Exception Form with the absentee ballot return envelope. Photo ID
is not required for military or overseas voters who vote using special absentee voting procedures that federal law makes available for such voters.
A Provisional Ballot may be used at the polls if you do not have an ID or do not know the last four digits of your social security number when registering to vote. Click here for more information!
Back to the Top of the Page
NASW-NC's Political Action for Candidate Election Committee (NC-PACE)
makes endorsements of candidates running for state elections. These
candidates have been vetted by the committee and have been selected
because of their support for the social work profession. Social workers
may wish to get involved in campaign efforts with these candidates
running for office.
Just as NC-PACE endorses North Carolina candidates, NASW National has a PACE Committee that makes endorsements of candidates at the Federal level.
Check back here when the 2026 endorsements will be released after the primaries.
Back to the Top of the Page
Click here to view the North Carolina Voter's Bill of Rights from Democracy NC
Click here to view Democracy NC's Student Guide to Voting
- Click here to check your voter registration through When We All Vote
- Click here to find more information about your representatives through Common Cause NC
Click here for resources on voting with a disability from Disability Rights NC
Absentee Ballot
Any voter can vote by mail in North Carolina – you do NOT need a special reason. To vote by mail, you can request an absentee ballot using the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Request Portal. See full instructions on absentee voting in NC here.
One-Stop Early Voting
Find information on one-stop early voting here. Unlike on Election Day, during early voting, you may vote at any early voting site in your county
- You may call your County Board of Elections at (919) 733-7173 or (866) 522-4723 or click the link above.
- Same-day registration is available during early voting!
Back to the Top of the Page
Voter Accessibility
Click here to learn more how voters with disabilities now have access to assistance with voting. Here is an FAQ from Disability Rights with more information.
Click here for detailed instructions on Vote By Mail from the NC State Board of Elections
Click here for a list of accessible voting sites from the NC State Board of Elections
Click here for more information on assistance for voters in care facilities from the NC State Board of Elections
The North Carolina State Board of Election website provides detailed information regarding voting with a disability. Assistance includes curbside voting, assistance with ballots, and alternate formats for ballots including braille, large print, audio, and accessible electronic formats. All requests for alternative formats should be made to the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator.
Justice Involved
- In April 2023, the NC Supreme Court reversed its previous ruling restoring the right to vote for individuals in NC living with felonies. This ruling means any individual convicted of a felony cannot register or vote until their sentence is complete, including any periods of probation, post-release supervision, or parole. This decision stripped the right to vote from approximately 56,000 voters.
Information for LGBTQ+ Voters
- Click here for information from NC Voter on updating the name or gender marker on your voter registration.
Experiencing Homelessness
- A home is not required to register to vote, but a place of residence must be identified.This can be a street corner, a park, a shelter, or any other place where a large amount of time is spent. A place to receive mail must be identified
as well, like a shelter or a post office box.
- A Provisional Ballot may be used at the polls if you do not have an ID or do not know the last four digits of your social security number when registering to vote. Ask for this at the polls.
The Provisional Ballot will require you to check a box explaining why you do not have an acceptable ID (a “reasonable impediment”) AND write in your birth date and last four digits of your Social Security number OR show a registration card, utility bill, pay stub,
bank statement or any government document with your name/address.
- A “reasonable impediment” for not having an ID may include: work / school schedule, lost ID, family duties, lack of transportation, lack of birth certificate, and more.
Military & Overseas
Those that are active duty in the military and serving overseas have options when it comes to voting. An individual serving overseas can either mail-in an absentee ballot or they can vote through programs offered only to military and overseas voters
that are protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA).
- The person must be a member active or reserve duty for either the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, National Guard, or state militia on active duty. A spouse or dependent of an active duty member; A legal North Carolina state resident; A U.S. citizen residing outside the country.
- Those on active duty overseas can either request a Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) or Federal Write-in Absentee Ballot (FWAB) to have their votes counted for in their home county. Click here to find out more about requesting a FPCA or FWAB ballot.
Back to the Top of the Page
Print Page
