Want to vote by absentee? Use the following information to request an absentee ballot taken from the Orange County Board of Elections website (www.co.orange.nc.us/elect).

Orange County offers absentee voting by mail to all Orange County registered voters who wish to vote by mail rather than in-person at a one-stop early voting site or on Election Day.

Who may apply

Any registered Orange County voter or a near relative of the voter may apply on their behalf. 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.

UNIFORMED AND OVERSEAS CITIZENS: For information concerning qualifications and procedures for registering and/or voting please go to: www.fvap.gov.

General Information

• Registered voters wishing to vote a by-mail absentee ballot must submit a signedrequest (typed or written) to the Board of Elections. Voter may send this request anytime during the calendar year of an election but no later than one week (7 days) prior to the election in which they wish to vote. Voter must submit a separate request for each election.

• Ballots will be available by mail 50 days prior to a Primary Election , 60 days prior to a General Election held in even years, and 30 days prior to a MunicipalElection (odd years)

• When the time for mailing ballots begins, ballots are usually mailed out within two days of requests being received.

• Completed ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections office by 5:00 p.m. on the day before the Election,  signed, sealed and witnessed.

• A notary is not required in the State of North Carolina.

Information that should be provided in request:

• Voter’s name as registered, date of birth, Orange County address
• Address where the ballot is to be mailed - if different from the Orange County address.
• Voter’s telephone number and email address (if available).
• If registered as "Unaffiliated", state which party primary ballot voter would like to receive - or state that voter wants a non-partisan ballot.
• Voter's (or near-relative's) signature.
• If the request is being submitted by a near-relative on the voter's behalf, the near-relative must state his/her name, address and relationship to the voter. A Power-of-Attorney does not qualify as someone who may request ballots on a voter's behalf.

Where to apply

• Mail to: Orange County Board of Elections, PO Box 220, Hillsborough, NC 27278or
• Hand deliver to the Board of Elections Office located at 208 S. Cameron Street, Hillsborough.
  
  
  

Illness or disability

While listing an excuse is no longer required for voting absentee by mail, if a voter is requesting a ballot due to a long term sickness or physical disability, and states this in their request, the request will be honored for the entire calendar year (when there are other elections within that year).