CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Early voting begins Thursday in Charlotte’s municipal primary election, and it’s the first time people casting ballots will have to deal with the state’s Voter ID law.
The September 12 primaries will decide which Democratic candidates advance to the November 7 general election. In case of a primary runoff, that election will be held on October 10.
The Democratic primary for Charlotte Mayor is between incumbent Vi Lyles and challenger Lucille Puckett. There is also a city council at-large primary race with six Democrats seeking to be on the November ballot for the council’s four at-large seats. There are also contested Democratic primaries for Charlotte city council districts two, three, four, and five.
There are no primaries for Republican candidates in September. The GOP candidates seeking council seats did not have challenges from within their party.
CHARLOTTE MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ELECTION CANDIDATES
Early voting runs through September at ten one-stop sites throughout the city:
- Allegra Westbooks Regional Library, 2412 Beatties Ford Rd
- Elon Park Recreation Center, 11401 Ardrey Kell Rd
- Independence Regional Library, 6000 Conference Dr
- Marion Diehl Recreation Center, 2219 Tyvola Rd
- South County Regional Library, 5801 Rea Rd
- SouthPark Regional Library, 7015 Carnegie Blvd
- Steele Creek Library, 13620 Steele Creed Rd
- University City former Kohl’s store, 9315 N Tryon St
- West Boulevard Library, 2157 West Blvd
Voters coming to early voting sites will be asked to show their photo ID before casting their ballots. Acceptable forms of ID include North Carolina driver’s licenses, state-issued “non-operator” IDs, college or university student IDs, and U.S. passports and passport cards.
CHARLOTTE EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS
People who want to vote but do not have a photo ID can go to the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections office at 741 Kenilworth Ave to get one.
Applicants do not have to bring any special documents. They’ll be asked to give their name, date of birth, and the last four digits of their Social Security number, then have their photo taken.
People lacking photo ID will not be turned away at polling sites. Poll workers will have them fill out an “ID Exception Form” to be given a provisional ballot. County election officials must research a voter’s form and eligibility before allowing their ballot to be counted.
North Carolina lawmakers approved the Voter ID measure in 2018, with Republicans overriding a veto by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to make it law.
Legal challenges blocked the ID law from taking effect, including the state Supreme Court — with a Democratic majority at the time — striking it down in December 2022. New Republicans voted onto the state’s highest court for 2023 and reversed that decision, making Voter ID the law again.
2023 CHARLOTTE PRIMARY ELECTION SCHEDULE
- Tuesday, Sept. 5 – Last day to request absentee by-mail
- Saturday, Sept. 9 – Last day early voting (in-person absentee)
- Monday, Sept. 11 – Sick/disabled deadline
- Tuesday, Sept. 12 – Last day to return absentee ballots
- Tuesday, Sept, 12 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Primary Election
- Friday, Sept. 22 – Certification of Primary
- Tuesday, Oct. 10 – 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. – 2nd Primary Election if necessary
- Friday, Oct. 20 – Certification of 2nd Primary
