Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3: Mecklenburg polls open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at your own precinct. Free CATS rides to polls; 3 Charlotte bond questions.
Last checked Nov. 2, 2026. Dates, sites and hours come from the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections and the N.C. State Board of Elections. This page is a factual guide and takes no position on any candidate or measure.
Charlotte voters are registered with the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections. The 2026 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and on Election Day you must vote at your own precinct. Early voting ended Saturday, Oct. 31.
Updated Nov. 2: Early voting has ended. CATS buses and trains are free to and from polling places on Tuesday, and Charlotte voters also decide three city bond questions worth $425 million.
Who to call
- Mecklenburg County Board of Elections: 704-336-2133, 741 Kenilworth Ave., Suite 202, Charlotte, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 31788, Charlotte, NC
- Check your registration and sample ballot: NCSBE voter search
- Find your Election Day precinct and districts: county address search
Key dates for the Nov. 3 election
| Date | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Friday, Oct. 9 | Regular voter registration deadline (passed) |
| Thursday, Oct. 15 | Early voting begins; same-day registration opens |
| Tuesday, Oct. 20, 5 p.m. | Last day to request a mail ballot |
| Saturday, Oct. 31, 3 p.m. | Early voting ends |
| Tuesday, Nov. 3 | Election Day, polls 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; mail ballots due at the Board of Elections office by 7:30 p.m. |
| Friday, Nov. 13 | County certifies the results |
Mail ballots began going out Sept. 4. Track yours with BallotTrax.
Early voting sites, Oct. 15-31 (now closed)
Every site keeps the same hours: weekdays 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. You can vote at any site in the county. The sites in Charlotte, from the Board of Elections list:
| Area | Site | Address |
|---|---|---|
| Uptown | Hal Marshall Annex | 618 N. College St. |
| West | Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library | 2412 Beatties Ford Road |
| West | West Boulevard Library | 2157 West Blvd. |
| FreeMoreWest | Bette Rea Thomas Recreation Center | 2921 Tuckaseegee Road |
| Northwest | Hornets Nest Pavilion | 6301 Beatties Ford Road |
| Mountain Island | The Bradshaw Center at Hillcrest | 8501 Bellhaven Blvd. |
| North | Mallard Creek Recreation Center | 2530 Johnston Oehler Road |
| University City | Former University City Library | 301 E. W.T. Harris Blvd. |
| East | Eastway Regional Recreation Center | 3150 Eastway Park Drive |
| East | Hickory Grove Library | 5935 Hickory Grove Road |
| East | Independence Regional Library | 6000 Conference Drive |
| East | The Park Expo and Conference Center | 800 Briar Creek Road |
| Dilworth | St. Luke’s Lutheran Church | 3200 Park Road |
| South | Marion Diehl Recreation Center | 2219 Tyvola Road |
| SouthPark | SouthPark Regional Library | 7015 Carnegie Blvd. |
| Ballantyne | Rea Village Shopping Center | 11508 Providence Road, Suite M |
| South | South County Regional Library | 5801 Rea Road |
| Steele Creek | Steele Creek Masonic Lodge | 13611 Steele Creek Road |
| Mint Hill area | Mint Hill Masonic Lodge | 10224 Lawyers Road |
The other six sites are in Pineville (Belle Johnston Community Center), Matthews (the library and Fire and EMS Station 3), Huntersville (CPCC Merancas Campus and North County Regional Library) and Cornelius (Cornelius Town Hall). The state keeps a searchable map of early voting sites.
Registering, or registering late
The regular deadline in North Carolina is 25 days before Election Day; for this election it was Oct. 9. If you missed it, the state allows same-day registration during early voting, according to the State Board of Elections:
- Go to any early voting site in Mecklenburg County.
- You must have lived in the county at least 30 days before Election Day.
- Fill out and sign the voter registration form, and bring proof of where you live: a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document with your name and address. Students can use a college document that shows their current address.
- You will also be asked to show photo ID to vote.
Already registered but moved? See the county’s update your registration page.
Photo ID
North Carolina asks every voter to show photo ID, according to the state’s voter ID page. Accepted IDs include:
- A North Carolina driver’s license
- A U.S. passport or passport card
- An approved college or university or public employee photo ID
- A military or veterans ID with photo issued by the U.S. government
- A tribal enrollment card with photo from a state or federally recognized tribe
- A driver’s license from another state, only if you registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election
If you cannot show an acceptable ID, you can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form.
Voting by mail
Request a mail ballot online until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Return it by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 to the Board of Elections office at 741 Kenilworth Ave. The county’s Absentee Board meets Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27 and Nov. 2 at that address.
On Election Day
Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. On Election Day you vote at your assigned precinct; look it up with the county address search or the state’s polling place search.
The Charlotte Area Transit System is offering free rides on all routes to and from polling places on Election Day, according to its Oct. 28 release. Voters inside the city limits also see three city bond questions: $280 million for transportation, $125 million for housing and $20 million for neighborhood improvements. Unofficial results appear on the State Board of Elections results site Tuesday night. The county lists the offices on the 2026 ballot, and the state publishes a 2026 judicial voter guide.
What this means for you
- Early voting and same-day registration ended Oct. 31. On Tuesday you can vote only at your own precinct, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Early voting sites take any Mecklenburg voter. On Election Day, go to your own precinct.
- Bring photo ID; if you do not have one, you can still vote with an ID Exception Form.
Related: who to call at City Hall and Mecklenburg County property taxes.
Frequently asked questions
When is early voting in Mecklenburg County in 2026?
Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election ran Thursday, Oct. 15, through Saturday, Oct. 31, at 25 sites across the county. It has ended; on Election Day you vote at your own precinct.
Can I still register to vote in Mecklenburg County?
Not for this election. The regular deadline was Oct. 9, 2026, and same-day registration ended with early voting on Oct. 31. North Carolina does not allow registration on Election Day.
Do I need an ID to vote in North Carolina?
Voters are asked to show photo ID, such as a North Carolina driver’s license or a U.S. passport. A voter without one can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form.
What time do polls open on Election Day in Mecklenburg County?
Polls are open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. On Election Day you must vote at your assigned precinct.
When is the deadline to request a mail ballot?
Requests are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026. Completed ballots must reach the Board of Elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 3.
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