FAQs

There are a few ways you can register to vote.  You can download an application, fill it out, sign it and mail it to:
Cleveland County BOE
PO Box 1299
Shelby, NC 28151

You may also stop by our office located at 215 Patton Dr., Shelby, NC 28150 and fill out an application in person.  Applications to register to vote can be found in most City and Town Halls, libraries, post offices, and the Cleveland County Administration Building.

• You must be a United States citizen.
• You must be 18 years old.
• If you are 17 but will be 18 before the next election, you can register to vote within 60 days of the election.  If there is a primary, you can register within 60 days of the primary provided you will be 18 before the general election.   
• You must be a resident of Cleveland County, North Carolina, for 30 days before the election in which you intend to vote. 
• You must not vote in any other county or state after submitting a voter registration application in Cleveland County. If registered elsewhere, you understand that you are canceling that registration upon becoming registered to vote in Cleveland County. 
• You have not been convicted of a felony, or if convicted of a felony, you have completed your sentence, including any probation or parole. (Citizenship and voting rights are automatically restored upon completion of the sentence. No special document is needed.)

You can check your current voter registration information online.  Please remember that you only have to register once.  The only reason your voter registration would ever be removed without your request is due to you moving and registering in another county, death, going inactive for two federal elections or being convicted of a felony.  

Regardless of the changes you want to make, there are two ways you can do this.  The easiest is to find your Voter Registration Card, mark the changes you wish to have made, sign it and mail it to our office.  If you don’t have your Voter Registration Card, just fill out an application and send it in.  All changes must be made 25 days before an election. 

This is your Voter Registration Card and it is so you can have a record of what information we have on file for you.  If everything on the card is accurate, you just keep it for your information.   If there are ever any changes that need to be made, just mark them on this card, sign it, and mail it in.  It is already self addressed for your convenience.   Please also note that your Voter Registration Card is not required to vote.

NC currently recognizes five political parties: Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Green, and No Labels.  If you choose not to select one of these options as your political affiliation, then you will automatically be marked as “Unaffiliated.”  This means you are not a member of any political party.

If you are a member of a specific party, you are allowed to only vote in that party’s primary.  Example:  Someone who is a registered Republican may only vote in the Republican Primary.  If you are “Unaffiliated” then NC does allow you to choose which political party’s primary you would like to vote in, or you may opt to vote an Unaffiliated ballot.  Once your vote is cast, you may not change it.  No one, regardless of their affiliation, can vote in more than one primary. 

If a party has a primary run-off, then members of that party may vote in it.  If you were an unaffiliated voter who chose to vote in that particular party’s primary, you too are able to vote in the run-off.  Members of a different political party, or unaffiliated members who chose to vote in a different party’s primary, may not vote in the primary run-off

Information needed to request an absentee ballot can be found online.

Cleveland County has paid workers to help with the One-stop voting sites as well as all polling sites on Election Day.  If this is something you’re interested in, you can complete an online application here: Be a Precinct Official 

Yes!  Anyone can hold a registration drive.  The board of elections office will not only give you supplies, but also a little training to help ensure your registration drive is a success!

Your jurisdictions are listed on your Voter Registration Card.  You may also find your jurisdictions by doing a public search for your voter information here https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.  If you are still unsure, you can call the office at 704-484-4858 and have a staff member help you.

Every time the voter makes any change to their voter information, the board of elections will automatically send a new Voter Registration Card.  You do not send this card back to the board of elections office.  If this Voter Registration card is returned as undeliverable, then a Confirmation Card is sent to the voter.  Confirmation cards must be completed, signed and sent to the Cleveland County Board of Elections office.

Every time you change your address with the post office, but fail to change your address with the board of elections, you may receive a NCOA (National Change of Address) card.  This is prompted when the elections office and the post office compare addresses and see there is a discrepancy.  To avoid this, make sure you change your address every time you move with both agencies. 

You can download the Notification of Deceased Voter form, complete it and mail it into our office.

Your polling location can be found here. You may also vote during our One-Stop voting (“Early Voting”)  which will take place 2.5 weeks prior to an election.  One-Stop locations will vary depending on the election.

On Election Day, the polls are open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

If sample ballots are available, they can be found at the Cleveland County Board of Elections office closer to the date of each election.  You may also find your sample ballot by looking up your voter information from https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/.

You may request an absentee ballot. If you prefer to vote on Election Day or at an early voting site but are unable to enter the facility, you may vote outside the voting location in your car. This procedure is called "curbside voting." Look for the curbside voting sign near the entrance to the voting place and park there. A precinct election official will assist you in verifying your registration information and bringing you a ballot. If you cannot locate a precinct election official in the parking lot, please ask someone to enter the voting place and inform the election officials that you need assistance.

ONLY if you also cannot enter the polling place due to age or physical disability.

Yes, you may receive assistance from any person of your choice, except your employer or union agent. Alternately, you may ask one of the precinct election officials to assist you.

No, only a voter may sign his or her voter registration application. You are not permitted to sign the form for your spouse, child or parent, even if you have power of attorney for the person.

State Board of Elections FAQs: http://www.ncsbe.gov/Voter-Information/VR-FAQ

No. If you cannot make it to the polls, you may request an absentee ballot.