Everything You Need to Know about the 2022 General Election

Are you registered to vote for this year’s General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 8? Make sure you have all the information you need before heading to the polls. This article lets you know everything about registering to vote, voting, and participating in the 2022 General Election. Scroll down for information on:

• Registering to vote and updating your voter information
• Finding your sample ballot
• Finding Early Voting locations
• Three ways to vote:
  • Early Voting
  • Absentee Ballot by Mail
  • Election Day Voting
• Resource links and contact information

For election updates and reminders via our mobile text notification system, text BCAlert to 99411, or sign up at buncombecounty.org/codered and select "Election Reminders."

Registering to vote

This year’s General Election will be on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Registering to vote will make sure you help decide the elected officials who will create policies that affect your day-to-day life. The deadline to register to vote is Oct. 14. If you are registering to vote by mail, forms must be postmarked by Oct. 14 and received in the office by Oct. 19.

Note: You can register to vote with same-day registration during Early Voting, Oct. 20-Nov. 5. You will need to provide a current document with your name and current address.

If you don’t know if you are registered to vote or whether your voter information is correct, you can find out through the North Carolina Board of Elections voter search tool. If you’re already registered, you can find your voting location, election jurisdictions, sample ballots, and other information there.

If you aren’t registered and want to be, you must:

• Be a U.S. citizen.
• Be at least 18 years old.
• Be a resident of North Carolina, Buncombe County, and your precinct for at least 30 days prior to the election.
• Not be in jail or prison for a felony conviction. You may find information about that process here.

Meet all the qualifications? Congratulations! Download the online form to register and mail it to:

Buncombe County Election Services
P.O. Box 7468, Asheville, NC 28802

Or stop by and register in person at our office:

59 Woodfin Place, Asheville, 28801

When registering, remember to provide either your North Carolina driver’s license or NC DMV ID number or the last four digits of your SSN, otherwise when you vote for the first time you will need to provide one of the following IDs:

• North Carolina driver’s license.
• Government-issued photo ID.
• Current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing your name.
• Current college or university photo ID along with proof of campus residency.

Register to vote or update registration electronically at the NCDMV

The State Board of Elections and N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) launched a service to allow NCDMV customers to apply to register to vote or update existing voter registration information online.

This is a standalone service that does not require the user to complete an NCDMV transaction, such as a license renewal or duplicate, at the same time.

Existing NCDMV customers with a North Carolina driver’s license or NCDMV-issued ID may apply to register to vote or update voter name, address, or political party affiliation through the NCDMV Voter Registration web page.

New for 2022: The Green Party has officially been added to North Carolina’s online voter registration form. If you are using an older form to register, you may check “Other” and write in Green Party.

For more information about registering to vote visit the Buncombe County Election Services website or call (828) 250-4200.

Find your sample ballot and voting location

You may vote at any Early Voting location from Oct. 20 – Nov. 5. You may look up your sample ballot, along with your General Election day precinct and voting location and other details with the State Board of Elections voter lookup tool. 

3 ways to vote

1. Early Voting
For the General Election, Early Voting will run Oct. 20 - Nov. 5., Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Oct 29 and Sunday Oct 30, 10a.m.-3 p.m. On the last Saturday, Nov. 5, 8 a.m.-3 p.m. During the Early Voting period, you may choose to vote at any of the 12 locations below and may can use same-day registration. Click here for Early Voting dates, times, and more

Locations:

1. Black Mountain Library - 105 N. Dougherty St, Black Mountain 28711
2. Elections Warehouse – 50 Coxe Ave, Asheville 28801
3. East Asheville Library – 3 Avon Rd, Asheville 28805
4. Enka-Candler Library – 1404 Sand Hill Rd, Candler 28715
5. Fairview Library – 1 Taylor Rd, Fairview 28730
6. Friendship Community Center – 142 Shiloh Rd, Asheville 28803
7. Leicester Community Center – 2979 New Leicester Hwy, Leicester 28748
8. North Asheville Library – 1030 Merrimon Ave, Asheville 28804
9. South Buncombe Library – 260 Overlook Rd, Asheville 28803
10. Weaverville Community Center – 60 Lakeshore Dr, Weaverville 28787
11. Wesley Grant Southside Center (in lieu of BOE) – 285 Livingston St, Asheville 28801
12. West Asheville Library – 942 Haywood Rd, Asheville 28806

Check out the wait map before you head out for Early Voting.

During scheduled Early Voting times, we offer a tool that tells you in real time, how many voters are in line at each location. The wait map will only be available during Early Voting and Election Day. Check it out here before you head out the door.

2. Absentee ballots by mail

Absentee ballots will be mailed out beginning on Sept. 9. The deadline to submit an Absentee Ballot Request Form is Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. Any North Carolina registered voter may request, receive, and vote a mail-in absentee ballot. No special circumstance or reason is needed. Registered voters in North Carolina must request an absentee ballot with an official N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form. There are two ways to access and submit the form:

1. Online - Request an Absentee Ballot at the N.C. Absentee Ballot Portal.
2. On paper - print the online English N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 or the Spanish N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (not available online currently).

If you don’t have a printer, you may complete an absentee ballot request form at the Election Services office at 59 Woodfin Place, Asheville, 28801, or call (828) 250-4200 and one will be mailed to you.

For active-duty military, their family members, and U.S. citizens living abroad, click here. If you have questions about that process, you may call us at (828) 250-4200 or visit buncombecounty.org/vote.

You may return the request in one of the following ways:

Mail it to:

P.O. Box 7468, Asheville, NC 28802

Hand deliver it to:

 Our office at 59 Woodfin Place, Asheville, 28801

Note: The Absentee Ballot Request Form may not be emailed or faxed. Request forms that are hand delivered to the office must be returned only by the voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian or, if you are not the voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian, the voter requested your assistance returning their request due to disability.

Returning an Absentee Ballot:

The deadline to return the completed absentee ballot is Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, at 5 p.m. However, voters are encouraged to return the ballot as early as possible. You may return it to us in one of the following ways:

• By mail: Absentee ballots may be mailed to P.O. Box 7468 Asheville, NC 28802. Ballots must be postmarked on or before Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, and received by Nov. 14th.
• At an Early Voting site: Absentee ballots may be returned to an Early Voting site during the Early Voting period, but not at a polling location on the day of the General Election. Ballots returned at an Early Voting site must be delivered to the election official at the help desk station.
• In person: Absentee ballots may be returned in person to our office at 59 Woodfin Place, Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Absentee ballots may only be returned by the voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian or, if you are not the voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian, the voter requested their assistance returning their ballot due to disability.

For more information about absentee voting, visit the North Carolina Board of Elections website. 

3. General Election Day, vote in person on Tuesday, Nov. 8

On Nov. 8, polls are open 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. As long as you are in line by 7:30 p.m., you will have the chance to vote.

Make sure you know where to vote if you are casting a ballot on Election Day. Remember: with Early Voting you may vote at any of our 12 Early Voting sites, but on Election Day you must vote at your assigned precinct. If you need help finding your voting location, enter your name at the Voter Search Tool. You can also enter your address at discover.buncombecounty.org and click the voting icon on the left-hand side of the page.

Curbside voting

Another feature Buncombe County Election Services offers is curbside voting for those who are unable to go inside the voting location due to age or disability. Just pull up to the curbside voting sign, and an election official will come out and assist you. Curbside voting is available during Early Voting and on Election Day at all voting locations.

Resources and links

• Absentee Ballot Portal (N.C)
• Absentee Ballot Request Form
• Discover Buncombe Election and Property Information
• Early Voting locations, times, and more
• Election Services Website
• Military and Overseas Voting Information
• N.C. Board of Elections Website
• Poll Worker Application
• Register to Vote/Update Voter Information
• Registering to Vote as a Person in the Criminal Justice System
• Voter Search Tool
• Voter Registration Application
• Wait Times at Each Voting Location

Questions?
Email elections@buncombecounty.org
Call (828) 250-4200