Note: This guide was first published in October of 2024. It has been updated for the 2025 election.
In presidential election years, most people know the names at the top of their ballots. But in so called "off-year elections" finding out which races you vote in can present a challenge. After all, races for local mayor and council don't generate nearly as much in campaign spending or garner much national media attention.
Pulling your sample ballot is one sure-fire way of knowing exactly what to expect when you walk in to the voting booth. Better yet, you can take the sample ballot with you, so that you can then just match up exactly the votes you've already decided on.
But where to find that sample ballot? Below is a step by step process, with screen shots, to get you quickly and easily to your own sample ballot..
Start by going to www.ncsbe.gov and clicking on the "Voter Search" icon, circled in red in the screenshot below.
On the search page, enter in your first and last name. The other fields are optional, but can help narrow the search if you have a common name.
After filling in the name, click search and then click on your name.
Your is a hot link, which means you can simply click on it to pull up information. The following page includes a lot of information about you and you can confirm that you are registered properly. To find your sample ballot, scroll down a bit until you see the "Sample Ballot" section.
Again, this is a hot link, so simply click on that ballot, and it will pull up a PDF file of your sample ballot. Except for the red "SAMPLE BALLOT" writing around the outside, this is what your ballot will look like in the voter booth.
You may print this ballot out and use it as a reference guide. However it's important to note that this can not be used as your official ballot with which to vote. You may use this as a reference guide in the voting booth, but do not try to use this sample ballot as the actual ballot you vote with. You will still have to fill out the bubbles of your official ballot in order to cast your vote.
Triangle Elections 2025
- September 18 - October 4: Durham Mayor and City Council primary early voting begins
- October 7: Durham Mayor and City Council primary Election Day
- October 16 - November 1: Early voting for general election in 500 North Carolina municipalities
- November 4: Election Day
Voters across the Triangle will go to the polls this fall to vote for local leaders. City of Durham is the only Triangle-area municipality that holds a primary in October. Here are some important dates:
Municipalities holding elections include
- Wake County: Angier, Apex, Cary, Durham, Fuquay-Varina, Garner, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Morrisville, Rolesville, Wake Forest, Wendell, and Zebulon. Precinct and early voting location information here
- Durham County: Durham city and Morrisville. Precinct and early voting location information here
- Orange County: Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, and Mebane; and Carrboro City Schools Board of Education. Precinct and early voting location information here
- Johnston County: Archer Lodge, Benson, Clayton, Four Oaks, Kenly, Micro, Pine Level, Princeton, Selma, Smithfield, and Wilsons Mills; Johnston-Whitley Heights Sanitary District. Precinct and early voting location information here
- Durham race for Mayor and City Council
- A reporter's guide to NC municipal elections
- American Aquarium's BJ Barham is running for office in Wendell
- Candidates for Wendell town commissioner answer questions
- Chapel Hill race for Mayor and City Council
- Cary race for 3 City Council seats
- Apex race for Town Council, and why are so many candidates running (publishing October 22)
Knowing who is on your ballot is hard. Find a "How To" guide to locate your sample ballot here
