It’s election time (again, already) in North Carolina. The March 3 primary will determine which candidates appear on the general election ballot in November.
For some races, like Mecklenburg County Sheriff, only Democrats are running, so the winner of the March 3 primary will automatically go on to win the office they’re seeking. That means for some elections, this primary is the whole ballgame — making it even more important to go out and make sure your voice is heard. Here’s how:
Key dates
- Early in-person voting ends: Saturday, Feb. 28, 2026
- Last day to request an absentee ballot: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, by 5 p.m.
- Absentee ballot return deadline: Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. when polls close. Note that there is no longer any grace period for ballots to arrive via mail, and ballots not at the county's election office by that deadline will not count. You can track your mail-in ballot here.
- Election Day is Tuesday, March 3, 2026. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Where you can vote early
Unless noted, hours for each day are Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m.; Sunday, 1–5 p.m. Here are all the county's early voting sites.
- West: Allegra Westbrooks Regional Library, 2412 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte
- Ballantyne: Rea Village Shopping Center, 11508 Providence Road, Suite E, Charlotte
- Birkdale: Point Business Park, 8935 Northpointe Executive Park Drive, Suite 150, Huntersville
- Cornelius: Town Hall 21445 Catawba Avenue, Cornelius
- East Charlotte: Eastway Regional Recreation Center, 3150 Eastway Park Drive, Charlotte
- Uptown: Hal Marshall Annex, 618 N. College Street, Charlotte
- East: Independence Regional Library, 6000 Conference Drive, Charlotte
- Matthews: Matthews Library, 230 Matthews Station Street, Matthews
- Mint Hill: Masonic Lodge, 10224 Lawyers Road, Mint Hill
- Mountain Island: Hillcrest‑Bradshaw Center, 8501 Bellhaven Boulevard, Charlotte
- Huntersville: North County Regional Library, 16500 Holly Crest Lane, Huntersville
- Pineville Library; (Norfolk Southern is scheduled to perform railroad maintenance in Pineville for 1-3 days beginning Monday, February 16. Repairs will affect Industrial Drive and Main Street. Please follow detour signage and plan for delays or reroutes.) 505 Main Street, Pineville
- South Charlotte: South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Road, Charlotte
- SouthPark: Regional Library, 7015 Carnegie Boulevard, Charlotte
- Steele Creek: Masonic Lodge, 13611 Steele Creek Road, Charlotte
- Tyvola: Senior Center2225 Tyvola Road, Charlotte, NC 28210
- University City: Former University City Library, 301 E. W.T. Harris Boulevard, Charlotte
- Huntersville: Waymer Recreation Center, 14008 Holbrooks Road, Huntersville
- West Charlotte: Amay James Recreation Center2425 Lester Street, Charlotte
Where you vote on Election Day
- On Election Day, March 3, you can only vote at your assigned precinct. Look up your precinct here.
What you need to bring (Voter ID)
- North Carolina now requires voters to show ID to cast a ballot. Most forms of government-issued IDs are accepted, such as a driver's license, military ID, tribal ID or passport. Some university-issued IDs are accepted as well. Find a full list here.
- Note that voters without ID can fill out a form explaining their reason and cast a provisional ballot, which county election boards will review.
Who can vote in this primary
- All registered voters are eligible, but there are a few catches. Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote in their party's primary, while unaffiliated voters must choose one (Republican or Democrat) to vote in.
How to check your registration and sample ballot
- You can look up your voter registration and sample ballot here.
Who's on the ballot
- Offices on the ballot in this election include:
- U.S. Senate and U.S. House
- State House and Senate seats
- County commissioners
- Sheriff
- Judges
- Some races are district-specific, including Mecklenburg County Commission district representatives and state House seats. Others are countywide, like the sheriff’s office and at-large county commissioners. And the U.S. Senate race is statewide, meaning people all over the state will see those candidates on their ballot.
- You can find a full list of candidates and candidate profiles at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Election Hub.
Learn more
WFAE, in partnership with the League of Women Voters of Charlotte-Mecklenburg, hosts a forum with the Democratic candidates for Mecklenburg County Commission at the WFAE Center for Civic and Community Engagement in uptown Charlotte. WFAE Executive Editor Ely Portillo moderated the conversations with candidates in each of the four contested races: Districts 1, 2, and 3, as well as the at-large seats. You can watch that full forum here.
One key race in Mecklenburg County is for the N.C. House seat held by state Rep. Carla Cunningham. Cunningham drew criticism from fellow Democrats and immigrant advocates after saying immigrants must assimilate and that all cultures are not equal. Three candidates are challenging her in the March 3 Democratic primary. Read more.
Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has endorsed activist Rodney Sadler over Cunningham, who has represented District 106 since 2013. Read more
Another important race is for Mecklenburg County Sheriff. Immigration enforcement is typically a federal responsibility, but in recent years, sheriffs have increasingly been pushed to cooperate with ICE, turning immigration into a major issue in sheriff races across North Carolina. Read more. There are no Republican candidates in the race. Whoever wins the March 3 primary will become the next Sheriff.
