Vote 2025
LOCAL ELECTIONS IN NORTH CAROLINA
Tuesday, November 4, 2025: ELECTION DAY
October 16 - November 1, 2025: EARLY VOTING PERIOD
Find early voting sites and schedules in your county with the Early Voting Site Search.
Locations and voting hours are also available here: Early Voting Sites for the Nov. 4, 2025 Municipal Elections (PDF).
Your Community, Your Vote:
A Quick Guide to NC Local Elections in 2025
Did you know that voter turnout for national elections in North Carolina is usually around 50-60%, but that participation in municipal elections sometimes falls below 20%?
Here’s a simple and actionable guide to help prepare for local elections in North Carolina this year.
Start Here:
Check Voter Registration: Have you moved recently, or changed your name since the last election cycle? It’s time to update or verify your registration. This can be done online here.
Ballot Research: This starts with looking up your Sample Ballot to determine who and what will be on your ballot. Many local races, like those for school boards, are nonpartisan. Researching candidates, platforms, and referendums can take time, so start early!
Voter ID: North Carolina voters are now required to show identification when voting. Read more here, and review the list of acceptable IDs below:
North Carolina Voter ID Requirements
Here’s a list of some commonly held and acceptable forms of identification.
Learn More at NCSBE.Gov
Local Issues = Local Impact
Beyond key dates, it's important to remember the broader context of local elections.
Town, city, and county governments—including mayors, city councils, school boards, county commissioners, and more —make crucial decisions that directly affect sustainability, growth, and community well-being.
Voting in local elections is one way residents can influence hyper-local policy and community outcomes.
While voter turnout for national elections in North Carolina typically hovers around 50-60%, participation in local elections is often significantly lower, sometimes dipping below 20%.
In elections decided by just a few hundred votes, every ballot has a much greater potential to sway the outcome.
This outsized impact should compel every eligible voter to the polls.
Spread the word! Make a plan to vote.
Together, we make sure local government reflects the needs of all.
*Please Note: The information presented here isn’t exhaustive. Always check with local boards of elections for the most accurate and specific information for your community.
Let’s Get Local: Charlotte, NC
November 4, 2025 is a Local Election Day
Early Voting for the November 4th Election: October 16 - November 1, 2025.
Here’s a look at the Early Voting calendar for Charlotte, North Carolina’s November 4th Elections.
Use this calendar to find a voting site and its hours of operation.
Don’t forget to bring ID to the polls.
Learn more about North Carolina’s relatively new Voter ID requirements here.
Changes to Early Voting in North Carolina
Heads up: there's no early voting on Sundays anymore, and the whole early voting period might be shorter than you remember.
These changes, coupled with voter ID requirements, may make it harder to cast a ballot this year, so let's get ready.
Here’s the action plan:
Check your status: Look up your voter registration and polling places on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website. Find early voting dates on your local Board of Elections website and add them to your personal calendar.
Make a plan: Talk with friends, family, and neighbors. Decide when and how you’ll vote (Need to request a mail-in ballot? Want to vote early?). Share information and make sure everyone knows what's required to vote in 2025. Double-check the Mecklenburg County list of acceptable voter ID.
Share Resources: Resources like this Vote 2025 Toolkit, the Civility Localized Get Civic Kit, and your local Board of Elections website can help as you make a plan to vote. Visit https://vote.mecknc.gov/ if you’re in Charlotte, North Carolina. They've got everything needed to be prepared.
Vote Early: We always recommend voting early (learn how here). Some of the barriers to casting a ballot can be remedied in person during early voting.
Together, we can increase voter turnout in local elections!
Follow @CivilityLocalized on social platforms to stay informed.
