What happens if I am identified as a ‘potential noncitizen’ on the voting rolls?
Jacob Biba, NC Local
April 16, 2026
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2024 Elections Coverage
Did you use the 2024 CJC Voter Guide?
Charlotte Journalism Collaborative partners share election night plans and favorite local pizza joints ahead of Election Day
Here are important dates and deadlines for the 2026 midterm elections.
Jan. 12, 2026: County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.
Feb. 6, 2026: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)
Feb. 12-28, 2026: In-person early voting period. Early voting locations are open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
Feb. 17, 2026: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.)
March 3, 2026: Primary Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Absentee ballots are due by 7:30 p.m.
March 12, 2026: County Canvass
Sept. 4, 2026: Absentee Voting Begins for the November 2026 General Election.
Oct. 9, 2026: Voter registration deadline.
Oct. 15-31, 2026: In-person early voting period.
Oct. 20, 2026: Absentee ballot request deadline.
Nov. 3, 2026: General Election Day.
Absentee ballot return deadline (in person to your county board of elections) by 7:30 p.m.
N.C. voters will be asked to show photo ID when they check in to vote.
Vote counting and how races are called:
Elections in the U.S. are highly decentralized and complex. While uncontested or landslide races may be called right after polls close, competitive races may take days, or even weeks to call. And while some states like Florida count most of the ballots on Election Day, other states, like California, can take weeks. Read more about the process of vote counting and how races are called here.
Accusations about voter fraud:
Our voting process isn’t immune to problems, and it’s likely some things may go wrong on Election Day – whether it’s long lines at polling places, running out of ballots or temporarily downed voting machines. However, these problems will not be unique to this election – there have always been glitches in our election process. Despite some imperfections, the system reliably produces certified outcomes thanks to many safeguards in place. Read more about it here.
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