If you are registered to vote in Wake County, you may request an absentee ballot by mail from the Board of Elections. North Carolina General Statute 163-230.2 states that a written request for an absentee ballot by mail is valid only if it is personally written entirely by the requester or the requester's near relative, or is on a form generated by the County Board of Elections and signed by the requester or near relative.
A near relative, as defined by law, is a spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, stepchild, or verifiable legal guardian. Power of attorney is not acceptable as a near relative.
The voter or the voter's near relative may send a written request to the Wake County
Board of Elections office, PO Box 695, Raleigh, NC 27602-0695.
Each request must be signed by the voter or the voter's near relative and must include the voter's name, date of birth, telephone number, Wake County residence address and address where the ballot is to be mailed, party affiliation and, if an unaffiliated voter, indicate whether the voter wishes to vote in the Democratic Party Primary, the Republican Party Primary or the Non-partisan Judicial Primary. The near relative must also provide his/her name, residence address and relationship.
In lieu of a written request Wake County voters may ask for an absentee ballot request form in person, by mail, by fax, by telephone or by e-mail. The e-mail address is: RequestForAbsenteeBallotRequest@co.wake.nc.us. Be sure to include in your e-mail the election for which you are making the request.
Written requests or completed county request forms must be received in the Board of Elections office no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 13. Ballots will be mailed within one to two days after receipt of the written request or completed form. Voted ballots must be received in the Board of Elections office by 5 p.m. on Monday, July 19. Ballots received after that time will not be counted.