By Peter Vankevich
Primary Election Day in North Carolina is Tuesday, March 3. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The winners of these primaries will appear on the ballot for the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3. The voter registration deadline for this primary was Feb. 9.
In North Carolina unaffiliated voters may choose either of the three ballots: Republican, Democrat or Unaffiliated. However, the Unaffiliated (Nonpartisan) ballot only has the question of the local sales tax referendum.
Early voting on Ocracoke will be held on only two days: Thursday, Feb. 19 and Friday, Feb. 20 in the Ocracoke Fire Department, 822 Irvin Garrish Hwy.
Early voting on the mainland began Feb. 12 and continues through 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Hyde County Board of Elections in the Public Safety Building, 1223 Main St., Swan Quarter.
Sample ballots are below.
Notable statistics
According to the Hyde County Elections Office, as of Feb. 14, Hyde County has 3,002 registered voters, 796 of whom live on Ocracoke.
Countywide registration:
– Democrat: 1,170
– Republican: 719
– Unaffiliated: 1,100
– Libertarian: 13
Ocracoke registration:
– Democrat: 342
– Republican: 136
– Unaffiliated: 312
– Libertarian: 6
The N.C. Board of Elections provides daily updates on its website. As of Feb. 14 there are 7,716,225 registered voters statewide and 82,278 (absentee/early voter) have already voted for this primary:
– Democrat: 2,315,626
– Republican: 2,324,573
– Unaffiliated: 3,024,800
– Libertarian: 46,724
– Green: 4,502
Who will go to Washington?
One of the highest-profile contests is for the U.S. Senate seat to replace retiring Republican Thom Tillis.
Democratic candidates:
– Daryl Farrow
– Justin E. Dues
– Roy Cooper
– Robert Colo
– Marcus W. Williams
– Orrick Quick
Republican candidates:
– Margot Dupre
– Richard Dansie
– Donald M. (Don) Brown
– Michael Whatley
– Elizabeth A. Temple
– Michele Morrow
– Thomas Johnson
Republican voters are advised not to vote for U.S. Senate candidate Margot Dupre. The State Board of Elections has disqualified her, ruling that she is not a properly registered voter or a qualified primary candidate in North Carolina.
For U.S. House District 1, which includes Ocracoke, there are no Democratic candidates on the ballot because incumbent Donald Davis is unopposed. His name will be on the November ballot.
On the Republican ballot for District 1 are five candidates:
– Laurie Buckhout
– Asa Buck
– Ashley-Nicole Russell
– Eric Rouse
– Bobby Hanig
Judges
Each of the party ballots include candidates vying for judge seats in regional courts. For information on the various judges, see Ballotpedia.org here.
Voting tips for the primary
Unaffiliated voters may choose a Democratic ballot, a Republican ballot, or a nonpartisan ballot. Other political parties have no primary contests.
All ballots will include a single local referendum: A proposed Hyde County Local Sales and Use Tax increase of one-quarter percent (0.25%), from 6.75% to 7%. Hyde County has issued an information release with background on this proposal.
Voter ID requirements
Voters must present a valid photo ID when voting in person. If you do not have a valid photo ID, you may obtain one from your county board of elections up through the end of the early voting period. Passports are acceptable.
If you do not have a valid photo ID on Election Day, you may still vote a ballot that will be counted by completing an affidavit of reasonable impediment (Photo ID Exception Form) explaining why you could not present ID. This form may also be used if you have a religious objection to being photographed or are a victim of a recently declared natural disaster.
Alternatively, if you vote without showing ID, you can return with your valid photo ID to your county board of elections by 5 p.m. on the ninth day after Election Day (the sixth day after Election Day for September or October local elections).
Absentee voting
In North Carolina, any eligible voter may request, receive, and cast an absentee ballot by mail. The absentee ballot request deadline for the March 2026 primary election is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17.
Mail-in ballots must be received in the county election office by election day (March 3). So voters using this option are advised to mail in their ballots early.
According to N.C. State Board of Elections website, civilian absentee ballots that arrive at the county board of elections office after Election Day will not be counted. Ballots must be received at your county board of elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day to be counted regardless of whether or not they include a postmark. The State Board recommends that voters mail their ballot early in order for it to arrive on or before Election Day.
More information is available on the NCSBE website.
