10 sites, 12 days: Early voting starts Thursday in Charlotte City Council, mayor primary
Early voting starts Thursday in Charlotte’s City Council primary elections.
The Mecklenburg County Board of Elections plan gives voters 10 sites across Charlotte to cast their ballot in the Democratic primary for Charlotte mayor and some Charlotte City Council seats. And it’s a popular way to cast ballots — with a majority of Mecklenburg voters who cast a ballot in the 2022 general election choosing to do so during early voting.
Early begins under the plan at 8 a.m. Thursday at the Hal Marshall Annex, 618 N. College St. Polls will be open at the annex weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Sept. 1.
The number of early voting sites will expand Sept. 5 to 10 sites that span all seven of Charlotte’s city council districts:
▪ Hal Marshall Annex, 618 N. College St.
▪ Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library, 2412 Beatties Ford Road
▪ Elon Park Recreation Center, 11401 Ardrey Kell Road
▪ Independence Regional Library, 6000 Conference Drive
▪ Marion Diehl Recreation Center, 2219 Tyvola Road
▪ South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Road
▪ Southpark Regional Library, 7015 Carnegie Blvd.
▪ Former Kohls, 9315 N. Tryon St.
▪ West Boulevard Library, 2157 West Blvd.
▪ Steele Creek Library, 13620 Steele Creek Road
All 10 sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. through Sept. 8 and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 9. The early voting period will end at 3 p.m. Sept. 9 under the plan.
There aren’t enough Republicans running this year for a GOP primary for City Council seats. So, to participate, people must be registered as a Democrat or unaffiliated.
During early voting, Charlotte residents can choose any location in the county to cast a ballot. On Election Day, people must vote at their assigned precinct. Check your voter registration and see your precinct at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.
Election 2023 dates and deadlines
Primary election day in Charlotte is Sept. 12, and the general election is set for Nov. 7.
The voter registration deadline for the 2023 primary was Aug. 18, according to the State Board of Elections. But Same-day voter registration is available during early voting, the board adds.
To register at an early voting site, you’ll need to bring documentation proving your name and address, such as:
▪ A North Carolina driver’s license
▪ Other government-issued photo ID that includes your current name and address
▪ A current college/university photo ID and “proof of campus habitation”
▪ A current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that includes your current name and address
New voter ID requirements
In the wake of an April ruling by the North Carolina Supreme Court, voters will need to show photo identification to cast a ballot in 2023.
Acceptable IDs include:
▪ A North Carolina driver’s license
▪ A state ID issued by the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles
▪ A U.S. passport or U.S. passport card
▪ A driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, the District of Columbia or U.S. territories, if the “voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election”
For the full list of acceptable IDs, visit ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id#acceptable.
People who don’t have an ID can visit the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections, 741 Kenilworth Ave., Suite 202, office by the end of the early voting period to obtain one for free. To get an ID, people must provide their name, date of birth and the last four digits of their social security number and have their photo taken
Otherwise, voters who can’t show ID will be asked to fill out an ID Exception Form, the Board of Elections adds. Absentee-by-mail voters can also fill out an ID Exception Form with their ballot if they’re unable to include a copy of their photo ID in their ballot return envelope.
This story was originally published August 9, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
