Early voting is officially underway in North Carolina, where millions of voters are expected to cast their ballots before the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

In 2016, 62% of North Carolina voters cast early ballots, N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE) Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said during a press event Tuesday. In 2020, that number jumped to 65%.

There are more than 400 early voting sites open across the state.

Here’s your guide to casting a ballot during the early voting period in North Carolina.

Where can you go to vote early in NC?

You can use the NCSBE early voting search tool at vt.ncsbe.gov/EVSite to find an early voting site near you.

Just select your county you live in (or the one you’re registered to vote in) from the drop-down menu for a list of early voting sites in your area and their hours of operation.

Early voting gives you more flexibility on when and where you you can vote. During the early voting period, voters can visit any early voting site in their county. While on Election Day, voters must visit their assigned polling place.

How to view your sample ballot in NC

If you’re a registered voter, you can view your sample ballot by entering your information into the NCSBE voter search tool at vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.

Once you’ve entered your information, click “Your Sample Ballot.”

Do I need to bring anything when I vote early in NC?

Yes, you’ll need to bring a photo ID starting this election to vote in North Carolina.

However, you can still vote without showing an ID by filling out an ID Exception Form.

On the form, voters can choose from the following permitted exceptions:

The voter has a “reasonable impediment” to showing photo ID. This means that something is preventing the voter from showing ID.

The voter has a religious objection to being photographed.

The voter was a victim of a natural disaster within 100 days before Election Day that resulted in a disaster declaration by the President or the Governor of North Carolina. (This is true for 25 North Carolina counties. See below for more information.)

Tips for filling out your ballot in NC

Here’s what to know about filling out your ballot, according to NCSBE:

With the marking device provided or a black ball point pen, completely fill in the oval to the left of each candidate or selection of your choice as shown.

Where authorized, you may write in a candidate by filling in the oval and writing the name on the write-in line.

If you tear your ballot and/or mark it incorrectly, return it to an election official and request a replacement.

Can I drop my absentee ballot off at an early voting site in NC?

Yes. You can deliver your absentee ballots to an election official at an early voting site while the site is open. Ballots will be kept securely and delivered to the county board of elections for processing.

What to know about early voting in Western NC

If you’re registered to vote in one of the 25 counties in Western North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene, you can drop off your ballot at any early voting site or county board of elections office in the state, or at the state board of elections in Raleigh.

Those counties, according to FEMA, are:

Alexander

Alleghany

Ashe

Avery

Buncombe

Burke

Caldwell

Catawba

Clay

Cleveland

Gaston

Haywood

Henderson

Jackson

Lincoln

Macon

Madison

McDowell

Mitchell

Polk

Rutherford

Transylvania

Watauga

Wilkes

Yancey

When does early voting end in NC?

Early voting in North Carolina ends on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 3 p.m.