North Carolina Becomes First State To Mail 2026 Ballots Friday
All 100 county boards start mailing absentee ballots this week, with early voting opening October 15 and Election Day set for November 3.
- Executive Director Sam Hayes confirmed absentee ballots go out statewide starting Friday, September 4.
- Voter registration closes October 9 and absentee ballot requests close October 20, both at 5 p.m.
- Early voting runs 17 days, October 15 through October 31, with same-day registration allowed.
Why it matters: Election law runs on its own calendar; no president's order or court fight changes what a county prints.
NC State Board of Elections press release (Sam Hayes, Executive Director) ↗ · Sep 4, 20269/4/26