North Carolina Primary: What to know before you head to the polls in the Wilmington area
Are you planning to head to the polls on Primary Election Day?
Exercising your right to vote can be a powerful way to express your political stance.
Here's what you need to do to make casting your ballot a seamless and efficient process on Tuesday, March 5.
1. Make sure you are eligible to vote.
According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE), to be eligible to vote in the U.S. you must:
Be a U.S. citizen.
Live in the county where you are registered and have lived there for at least 30 days prior to Election Day.
Be at least 18 years old.
17-year-olds may vote in the Primary Election if they will be 18 at the time of the general election.
Not be serving a felony sentence, including any period of probation, post-release supervision, or parole.
2. Check your voter registration.
Ensuring your information is current and up-to-date is paramount. For citizens who have yet to register, the voter registration deadline for the Primary Election was Feb. 9.
While same-day registration may be an option for early voters at early voting sites, same-day registration is not available for most voters on Primary Election Day.
Before heading to the polls, find out if you are registered to vote using the North Carolina voter search.
3. Bring proper photo ID.
Voters casting ballots in the state of North Carolina will be asked to show photo identification.
The following documents, if unexpired or expired for less than one year, are forms of photo ID accepted for voting:
North Carolina driver's license.
State ID from the NCDMV.
Drivers license of non-driver ID from another state (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election.)
U.S. passport or U.S. passport card.
North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections.
College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections.
State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections.
Additionally, voters 65 or older can present expired identification if the ID was unexpired on their 65th birthday.
Any of the following IDs are also accepted regardless or expiration or issuance date:
Military or veterans ID card (with photo) issued by the U.S. government.
Tribal enrollment card (with photo) issued by a tribe recognized by the state or the federal government.
ID card (with photo) issued by an agency of the U.S. government or the state of North Carolina for a public assistance program.
Voters who are unable to show valid photo ID at the time they vote will be able to proceed in two ways:
Complete an ID exception form and vote with a provisional ballot or
Vote with a provisional ballot and return to the County Board of Elections Office with photo ID by the day before county canvass.
For further details on acceptable photo IDs for voting, visit www.ncsbe.gov.
4. Find your designated polling place.
On March 5, polling places will remain open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Voters in line by 7:30 p.m. will be able to cast a ballot.
NCSBE recommends voting at off-peak times to avoid busier crowds and longer waits. Early in the morning and just before the polls close tend to be peak voting times.
Unlike early voting, on Primary Election Day, voters must cast ballots at their assigned polling place.
You can find your designated polling location using the NC Voter Search or the Election Day Polling Place Search.
Polling places for Brunswick, New Hanover and Pender counties are also listed below.
Brunswick County
Here's a list of the precincts in Brunswick County and their designated polling locations according to the Brunswick County NC Board of Elections:
Belville 1: Belville Elementary School: 575 River Road SE, Leland, 28451
Belville 2: Leland Cultural Arts Center: 1212 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, 28451
Boiling Spring Lakes: Boiling Spring Lakes Community Center: 1 Leeds Road, Southport, 28461
Bolivia: Brunswick County Cooperative Extension: 25 Referendum Drive NE, Bldg N, Bolivia, 28422
Brunswick Forest: Brunswick Forest Fitness and Wellness Center: 2701 Brunswick Forest Parkway, Leland, 28451
Frying Pan: Shallotte Point Volunteer Fire Department: 4126 Pigott Road SW, Shallotte, 28470
Grissettown: Ocean Isle Beach Town Hall: 111 Causeway Drive, Ocean Isle Beach, 28469
Hickmans Crossroads: Jessie Mae Monroe Elementary School: 250 Pea Landing Road NW, Ash, 28420
Hood Creek: Sandy Creek Town Hall: 114 Sandy Creek Drive, Leland, 28451
Leland: Lincoln Elementary School: 1664 Lincoln Road NE, Leland, 28451
Longwood: Grissettown Longwood Fire and Rescue: 758 Longwood Road NW, Ocean Isle Beach, 28469
Mosquito 1: Virginia Williamson Elementary School: 1020 Zion Hill Road SE, Bolivia, 28422
Mosquito 2: St. James Community Center: 4136 Southport-Supply Road, Southport, 28461
Oak Island 1: Ocean View United Methodist Church: 8400 E Oak Island Drive, Oak Island, 28465
Oak Island 2: Oak Island Recreation Center: 3003 E Oak Island Drive, Oak Island, 28465
Oak Island 3: Oak Island Elks Lodge: 106 E Dolphin Drive, Oak Island, 28465
Secession 1: Lockwood Folly Community Building: 1691 Stanbury Road SW, Supply, 28462
Secession 2: Holden Beach EOC Building: 1044 Sabbath Home Road, Supply, 28462
Shallotte: The Brunswick Center at Shallotte: 3620 Express Drive, Shallotte, 28470
Shingletree 1: Sunset Beach Community Center: 200 Station Trail, Sunset Beach, 28468
Shingletree 2: The Brunswick Center at Calabash: 10050 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, 28467
Southport 1: The Brunswick Center at Southport: 1513 N Howe St., Suite 1, Southport, 28461
Southport 2: Southport Elementary School: 701 W 9th St., Southport, 28461
Supply: The Brunswick Center at Supply: 101 Stone Chimney Road SE, Supply, 28462
Town Creek: Town Creek Park Community Building: 6420 Ocean Highway E, Winnabow, 28479
Waccamaw: Waccamaw Park Community Building: 5859 Waccamaw School Road NW, Ash, 28420
Woodburn: The Brunswick Center at Leland: 121 Town Hall Drive, Leland, 28451
New Hanover County
Here's a list of the precincts in New Hanover County and their designated polling locations according to the New Hanover County Board of Elections:
(CF01) Wrightsboro School: 2716 Castle Hayne Road, Wilmington NC 28401
(CF02) Castle Hayne Elementary: 3925 Roger Haynes Drive, Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(CF05) CFCC-North Campus-McKeithan Center: 4500 Blue Clay Road, Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(CF06) Northside Baptist Church: 2501 North College Road, Wilmington NC 28405
(FP03) Kure Beach Town Hall: 117 Settlers Lane, Kure Beach NC 28449
(FP04) Myrtle Grove Middle School: 901 Piner Road, Wilmington NC 28409
(FP06) Bellamy Elementary School: 70 Sanders Road, Wilmington NC 28412
(FP07) Anderson Elementary School: 455 Halyburton Memorial Parkway, Wilmington NC 28412
(FP08) Carolina Beach Muni Complex Rec Center: 1211 Lake Park Blvd. N, Carolina Beach NC 28428
(H01) Cape Fear Christian Church: 811 College Road N, Wilmington NC 28405
(H02) Northeast Regional Library: 1241 Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington, NC 28405
(H04) College Park Elementary School: 5001 Oriole Drive, Wilmington NC 28403
(H05) Port City Community Church: 250 Vision Drive, Wilmington NC 28403
(H06) Freedom Baptist Church: 802 College Road N, Wilmington NC 28405
(H08) Ogden Elementary School: 3637 Middle Sound Loop Road, Wilmington, NC 28411
(H10) Eaton Elementary School: 6701 Gordon Road, Wilmington, NC 28405
(H11) Coastal Community Baptist Church: 7721 Alexander Road, Wilmington, NC 28411
(H12) Porters Neck Elementary School: 416 Edgewater Club Road, Wilmington, NC 28411
(H13) Porters Neck Village (formerly Plantation Village): 1200 Porters Neck Road, Wilmington, NC 28411
(M02) Masonboro Elementary School: 3518 Masonboro Loop Road, Wilmington, NC 28409
(M03) Moose Lodge: 4610 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC 28412
(M04) United Advent Christian Church: 4912 College Road South, Wilmington 28412
(M06) Myrtle Grove Baptist Church: 5524 Myrtle Grove Road, Wilmington, NC 28409
(M07) Harbor United Methodist Church
4853 Masonboro Loop Road, Wilmington, NC 28409
(W03) MLK Center: 401 South 8th St. Wilmington, NC 28401
(W08) Board of Education--Spencer Building: 1802 South 15th St., Wilmington, NC 28401
(W12) Forest Hills School: 602 Colonial Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403
(W15) Career Readiness Academy at Mosley: 3702 Princess Place Drive, Wilmington, NC 28405
(W16) Lifepoint Church: 3534 College Road S, Suite A, Wilmington, NC 28412
(W17) Holly Tree Elementary School, 3020 Web Trace, Wilmington NC 28409
(W21) Codington Elementary School 4321 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC 28412
(W25) Cape Fear Community College-Health Sciences Building: 415 North 2nd St., Wilmington, NC 28401
(W26) Sunset Park Elementary School: 613 Alabama Ave., Wilmington NC 28401
(W27) Freeman Elementary School: 2601 Princess Place Drive, Wilmington, NC 28405
(W29) Williston Middle School: 401 South 10th St., Wilmington, NC 28401
(W30) Cape Fear Presbyterian Church, 2606 Newkirk Ave., Wilmington, NC 28412
(W31) New Hanover County Senior Resource Center: 2222 College Road S, Wilmington, NC 28403
(W33) Bradley Creek Elementary School: 6211 Greenville Loop Road, Wilmington, NC 28409
(W34) UNC Wilmington Warwick Center: 629 Hamilton Drive, Wilmington NC 28403
(W35) Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church Activity Building: 204 Pine Grove Road, Wilmington, NC 28403
(WB) Wrightsville Beach Elementary School: 220 Coral Drive, Wrightsville Beach, NC 28480
Pender County
Here's a list of the precincts in Pender County and their designated polling locations according to the Pender County Board of Elections:
Canetuck: Canetuck Community Building: 6098 Canetuck Road, Currie, NC 28435
Cape Fear: Heidi Trask High School Auxiliary Gym: 14328 N.C. 210, Rocky Point, NC 28457
Caswell: Atkinson School Auxiliary Gym: 205 N. Town Hall Ave., Atkinson, NC 28421
Columbia: Shiloh Volunteer Fire Department: 19170 U.S. 421, Willard, NC 28478
Grady: Moore's Creek Missionary Baptist Church, 60 Minuteman Road, Currie, NC 28435
Long Creek: Long Creek Volunteer Fire Department: 227 Scott Road, Rocky Point, NC 28457
Lower Topsail: Pender County Annex Building: 15060 U.S. 17, Hampstead, NC 28473
Lower Union: Watha Town Hall: 425 Watha Road, Watha, NC 28478
Middle Topsail: Topsail Middle School Auxiliary Gym: 17445 U.S. 17, Hampstead, NC 28443
North Burgaw: Burgaw Middle School Gym: 500 S. Wright St., Burgaw, NC 28425
Penderlea: Penderlea Volunteer Fire Department: 4005 N.C. 11, Willard, NC 28475
Rocky Point: Heidi Trask High School Auxiliary Gym: 14328 N.C. 210, Rocky Point, NC, 28457
Scotts Hill: Wesleyan Chapel Fellowship Hall: 10255 U.S. 17, Wilmington, NC 28411
Sloop Point: Cape Fear Community College Alston W. Burke Center: 621 N.C. 210 E, Hampstead, NC 28443
South Burgaw: Cooperative Extension Auditorium: 801 S. Walker St., Burgaw, NC 28425
Surf City: Surf City Community Center Gym: 201 Community Center Drive, Surf City, NC 28445
Upper Holly: Maple Hill Volunteer Fire Department: 115 Old Maple Hill Road N, Maple Hill, NC 28454
Upper Topsail: Topsail Middle School Auxiliary Gym: 17445 U.S. 17, Hampstead, NC 28443
Upper Union: Union Rescue Squad: 8950 N.C. 11, Willard, NC 28478
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: NC primary: What to know before you vote in Wilmington
