The HCDP Primary PRIMER

Two of the most important races in the country will be shaped in the upcoming NC Primary. Henderson County Democrats & Unaffiliated Voters have the chance to help choose which Democrats have the best chance to beat MAGA-backed Republicans.  This is both a serious responsibility and a great privilege.

Help us spread the news that everyone needs to register and VOTE.

Scroll down to read:

• WHY voting is especially crucial this year

• Primary Calendar

• Absentee Vote-by-Mail & Early In-Person Voting Overviews

• Recent Changes in Election Laws

• User-Friendly Voter Resources & More

 

WHY VOTE IN THE PRIMARY?

• The Senate and NC11 US House candidates on our ballot are in pivotal races garnering national attention. We need to select the candidates who can win & give Democrats the chance to stop MAGA destruction.

• Fewer people vote in the primary, so your vote will carry more weight than in the general election.

• The GOP has made voting harder, and the primary is a chance to go through a dress rehearsal to figure everything out.  Is your registration current?  Find out now.  Do you know who will be witnesses & how you’ll make a copy of your ID for a mail-in ballot if you choose to vote this way?  Is your ID acceptable?  Has your college aged children’s polling place been shut down?  Do you know how to track your ballot to make sure it is counted?  Don’t wait until November.  Find. Out. Now. By voting!

• Robust turnout in the primary builds momentum and encourages our candidates who are giving it their all. 

  
  

  

Primary Election Dates to Remember:

• JAN 12 Mailing of absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted a request begins

• FEB 06 Voter registration deadline at 5 pm

• FEB 12 In-person early voting begins at four county locations

• FEB 17 Absentee ballot request deadline at 5 pm

• FEB 28 In-person early voting ends at 3 pm

• MAR 03  Primary Election Day! Voters must vote at their home precinct. Deadline for absentee ballots to be returned is 7:30 pm--NOT POSTMARKED BUT ACTUALLY RECEIVED at the Board of Elections. 

ABSENTEE VOTING BY MAIL

Voting by mail is a great option, but you must be informed about new requirements and always track your ballot to make sure it arrives and is counted.

Details about how to vote by mail are spelled out at https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail 

This website includes several links to important information.

The following are highlights only.  Please consult the link above for specific instructions.

Step 1: Request Your Ballot & Return the Request

Registered voters do not need special circumstances to request an absentee vote-by-mail ballot online or via paper form.  Use this link to request an absentee ballot:  https://votebymail.ncsbe.gov/app/home  (Note: Allow plenty of time for your absentee ballot to arrive.)

Step 2: Complete Your Ballot

One notary public or two witnesses must be in your presence when you mark your absentee ballot.  They are witnessing that you are the person who voted, not who you voted for. 

You must place your ballot in the return envelope and seal it. 

Sign the envelope and have your two witnesses or a notary public sign the envelope.

Place a copy of an eligible photo ID in the clear sleeve on the back of your ballot envelope. If you are unable to provide a copy of a photo ID, complete and place the Photo ID Exception form (yellow form in your ballot package) into the clear sleeve.

Place the completed and sealed ballot envelope inside the absentee return.

Step 3: Return Your Absentee Ballot:

If mailing, return postage is $1.77-- 3 forever stamps (73 cents apiece) will suffice.

Your ballot must be received by your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 3rd. Note: there is no longer a grace period for receiving your ballot so make sure you allow extra time for your ballot to arrive if you are mailing it.

During Early Voting, you can return your ballot in person to an early voting site in Henderson County (see below) or you may return it in person to the Board of Elections (75 E. Central Street in Hendersonville).

On Election Day, you may deliver your ballot in person to the Board of Elections by 7:30 pm, but you may not return your absentee ballot to a polling place on Election Day.

NOTE: Due to federal cuts, delays in USPS mail delivery have become widespread.  Your ballot must be returned by 7:30 pm on March 3. If using the mail, return it as soon as possible.  

Track your ballot’s progress at https://northcarolina.ballottrax.net/voter/ 

EARLY IN PERSON VOTING

A PHOTO ID is required for in-person voting.

Henderson County residents may vote early in person beginning Thursday February 12^th at the following locations:

·       Board of Elections: 75 E. Central Street in Hendersonville, off Spartanburg Highway

·       Etowah Library: 101 Brickyard Road in Etowah, just off Highway 64

·       Fletcher Town Hall: 300 Cane Creek Road in Fletcher

·       Edneyville Community Center: 15 Ida Rogers Road in Edneyville 

Voting Hours are shown in the table below from the Henderson County Board of Elections website.  Please note that voting hours on the Saturdays of February 14^th and 28^th end at 3 pm and there is NO VOTING on Saturday February 21^st.  There is no voting on Sundays for this election. Churches wishing to continue the tradition of Souls to the Polls may think about doing this on Saturday instead!  

RECENT CHANGES IN VOTING LAWS

You must show a photo ID to vote.

Several polling places on college campuses have been closed—tell the college students in your life to make a voting plan now. 

Absentee ballots must now be returned (received) by 7:30 pm on Election Day, March 3^rd.

Absentee ballots must now have signatures from two witnesses or a notary.

Absentee ballots must now include a copy of a photo ID or an exception form.

User Friendly Voting Resources

The folks at HENDERSON COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS are professionals who take their job seriously and are eager to help answer questions and provide information.

Their physical address is 75 E. Central St in Hendersonville. This is an early voting site and you may also return mail-in ballots here by 7:30 pm on March 3rd.

Mailing address: PO BOX 2090HENDERSONVILLE, NC 28793

828-697-4970

email: hcelections@hendersoncountync.gov

The NC Board of Elections has a wealth of information for voters in all sorts of situations, including those serving in the military and those in care facilities. https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting 

The non-partisan League of Women Voters sponsors a helpful website: https://www.vote411.org/ 

Quick Review: What is a Primary and Who Can Vote in the NC Democratic Primary in Henderson County?

A Primary is the election in which each party chooses the candidates they want to run in the November election.  It’s the political version of “Choose Your Player” or “Pick Your Fighter”!

Registered Democrats and Unaffiliated Voters can vote in the Democratic Primary.  Registered Democrats will automatically be given the Democratic ballot. Unaffiliated Voters will be given a choice of EITHER the Democratic or Republican ballot (not both, of course).  Unaffiliated Voters who want to have a say in selecting the strongest Democrat simply need to answer “Democratic” when they are asked which ballot they want. Please share this news with your all your NC friends and family who care about protecting our American values. Note: for unaffiliated voters, choosing a partisan ballot in the primary has no impact on how they vote in the general election in the fall. 

Election Day Voting

The 2026 NC Primary Election Day is March 3rd.

Photo ID is required.

You must vote in your home precinct.

Voting hours on Election Day are 6:30 am to 7:30 pm.

You may request a provisional ballot if you run into a problem--more information to come.