*Information listed here is from the North Carolina State Board of Elections Calendar of Events and is subject to updates that may not be listed here
- The candidate filing period for the 2025 partisan and nonpartisan municipal elections begins at the opening of business on Monday, July 7, 2025, for county boards of elections, and ends at noon on Friday, July 18, 2025, unless otherwise stated in a municipal charter or session law.
- The deadline to withdraw a notice of candidacy and receive a refund is 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
- Candidates should contact their county board of elections to determine the filing fee for their contest.
- Note: All candidates filing a notice of candidacy in a municipal contest will file their form and filing fee at their county board of elections. No notice of candidacy or filing fee should be mailed to the State Board of Elections.
The deadline to withdraw a notice of candidacy and receive a refund for partisan and nonpartisan municipalities is 5 p.m. Tuesday, July 15, 2025
- Starting Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, the county boards of elections will begin to mail absentee ballots to eligible voters who requested them for the October 2025 municipal elections.
- Note: Absentee voting is not permitted in some municipalities.
- The October 2025 municipal elections are on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
- Learn how to request an absentee ballot: Vote By Mail.
- The voter registration deadline* for the October 2025 municipal elections is 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Read more: Voter Registration Deadlines.
- The October 2025 elections will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025. Learn about the 2025 municipal elections: Upcoming Election.
- If you miss the voter registration deadline, you may still be able to register and vote or make changes (except for party affiliation) to your voter registration and vote during the early voting period. Find out more: Register in Person During Early Voting.
*The deadline differs for military and overseas citizens.
- The in-person early voting period for the October 2025 municipal elections begins Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, and ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
- Note: Early voting is not permitted in some municipalities.
- The October 2025 municipal elections are on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
- Find early voting sites and schedules in your county: Early Voting Site Search.
- The absentee ballot request deadline* for the October 2025 municipal elections is 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.
- Note: Absentee voting is not permitted in some municipalities.
- The October 2025 municipal elections are on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
- Learn how to request an absentee ballot: Vote By Mail.
*Absentee ballot deadlines differ for military and overseas citizen voters.
- The October 2025 municipal elections are on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
- Polling places will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Any voter in line at their assigned polling place at 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote.
- Registered voters can find their polling place and sample ballot here: Voter Search.
- The absentee ballot return deadline* for the October 2025 municipal elections is 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
- Note: Absentee voting is not permitted in some municipalities.
- The October 2025 municipal elections are also on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.
- Read step #3 to learn more: Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail.
*Ballot deadlines differ for military and overseas citizen voters.
- The deadline for a provisional voter to show an acceptable photo ID or HAVA ID to their county board of elections is noon on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
- The deadline is for a voter who cast a provisional ballot in the October 2025 municipal elections due to not showing an acceptable photo ID or HAVA ID when they checked in to vote.
- Note: The deadline is not for voters who completed an ID Exception Form when they cast a provisional ballot.
- This deadline falls on the third business day after the election.
- North Carolina’s county boards of elections meet to certify the results for their October 2025 municipal elections at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025.
- County canvass is seven days after Election Day in September and October odd-year municipal elections, and 10 days after Election Day for all other elections.
- Canvass is the official process of determining the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, resulting in the authentication of the official election results.