STOKES COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS
1012 MAIN STREET
P O BOX 34
DANBURY, NC 27016
Phone: (336) 593-2409 Fax: (336) 593-4022
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.co.stokes.nc.us/vote
Robert (Buster) Robertson, Chairman
Durward Bennett, Secretary
Mike Pell, Member
Jason Perry, Director
Absentee Mail-In Ballot Procedures
How To Request An Absentee Ballot
A voter or voter’s near relative or legal guardian must complete the State Absentee Ballot
Request Form (available at www.co.stokes.nc.us/vote, under ‘Forms and Information’) in order to
receive an absentee mail-in ballot. A request made in a manner other than on this official form
cannot be accepted. Forms are also available at the Stokes County Board of Elections and may
be reproduced.
A reason for requesting an absentee ballot is not necessary, as North Carolina is a “no-excuse
absentee voting” state.
A photo ID is not required to vote by mail, but the voter or requestor (near relative or verifiable legal
guardian of voter) must provide the voter’s date of birth and identification information on the
request form (additional information can be found below).
Deadline For Requesting An Absentee Ballot
State Absentee Ballot Request Forms must be received in the Stokes County Board of Elections
office by 5:00 PM the Tuesday prior to Election Day.
A voter with an illness or physical disability, or the near relative or verifiable legal guardian of the
voter, may submit a request after 5:00 PM on the Tuesday prior to the election, but not later than
5:00 PM on the day before the election. The request form in this situation should include a note
that the voter has an illness or physical disability.
Who May Make A Request
Registered Stokes County voter who wishes to vote by absentee mail
Near relative of voter (spouse, sibling, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, father-in law,
mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepparent, stepchild)
Verifiable legal guardian
Restrictions: A Power of Attorney, other than a voter’s near relative or legal guardian, is not
allowed to request an absentee ballot on behalf of a voter.
Also, an employee, owner, or manager of a hospital or assisted living facility – other than a voter’s
near relative or legal guardian - is not allowed to make a request on behalf of a voter who is a
resident of said facility.
Completing A State Absentee Ballot Request Form
The required form must be signed by either the voter or the near relative or legal guardian of the
voter. The voter or requestor must provide the voter’s name, residential address, mailing address
(if different), date of birth, and an identification number for the voter (i.e., NC DMV driver license
number, NC DMV identification card number, or the last four digits of the social security number).
If an ID number is not listed on the form, then one of the following forms containing the voter’s
identifying information must be included: a copy of a current and valid photo identification, or a
copy of a document that shows the name and address of the voter (current utility bill, bank
statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document).
In addition to the information listed above for a voter, a near relative or legal guardian submitting
the request should include his or her residential address and relation to voter.
If the voter is registered Unaffiliated, for a partisan primary the ballot preference (Democrat,
Republican, Libertarian, or non-partisan) should be indicated.
If the ballot is to be mailed to an address other than the voter’s residence, there’s a space on the
form to also provide this information.
The completed, signed request form may be mailed, faxed, emailed, or hand-delivered.
Restriction: An employee, owner, or manager of a hospital or assisted living facility – other than a
voter’s near relative or legal guardian – is not allowed to complete or sign the State Absentee
Ballot Request Form on behalf of the voter.
Processing Of Absentee Ballot Requests
Upon receipt of a completed, signed request from an eligible voter, absentee balloting materials will
be mailed to said voter.
The date upon which absentee ballots are available is based on federal and state law (Check
www.co.stokes.nc.us/vote or contact the Stokes County Board of Elections at 336-593-2409 for a
schedule of the current election).
Absentee ballots must be mailed from the Board of Elections office. The only time a ballot may be
handed to a voter, near relative, or legal guardian is in the event that the voter is sick or physically
disabled and submits a request after the traditional deadline (See above, “Deadline For Requesting
An Absentee Ballot”).
When The Voter Receives An Absentee Ballot
The voter will receive a blank ballot, instructions, return envelope, and absentee
application/certification (on the back of the return envelope).
The voter should follow the ballot marking and return instructions. In the presence of at least two
witnesses (or one witness who is a notary public) who are at least 18 years old, the voter should
mark the ballot, or cause it to be marked according to his or her instructions.
The voter and witnesses must provide their signatures (and other information as needed) in the
appropriate spaces on the application/certification. There are also spaces on the application for
the voter to provide signature and address if he or she 1) wants to automatically be sent a ballot in
the event of a 2nd primary/runoff, or 2) due to continued or expected illness or disability, wants the
application to serve as an absentee request for any future elections during the course of the
calendar year in which the voter is eligible.
Restrictions: A witness cannot be a candidate, unless that candidate is also the voter’s near
relative.
Also, a witness cannot be an employee, owner, or manager of a hospital or assisted living facility,
unless he or she is a voter’s near relative or legal guardian.
When a voter is in the process of voting an absentee mail-in ballot, assistance is limited to the
voter’s near relative or verifiable legal guardian; if a near relative or legal guardian is unavailable to
assist, the voter may request that some other person give assistance.
An employee, owner, or manager of a hospital or assisted living facility – other than a near relative
or legal guardian – may not mark a voter’s ballot or assist in marking a ballot.
Deadline For Returning An Absentee Ballot
A marked ballot that is hand-delivered must be submitted – in the return envelope with absentee
application/certification on the back properly completed and signed – by 5:00 PM on Election Day.
A ballot that is returned via mail must be returned by 5:00 PM on Election Day or postmarked by
Election Day and received by the Board of Elections office within three days after the election.
Restrictions: Only the voter, near relative, or legal guardian may hand-deliver a completed
absentee application/certification and marked ballot to the Board of Elections office.
A marked absentee ballot may not be submitted to a polling place on Election Day.
When the absentee ballot has been submitted to the Board of Elections office, it may not be
withdrawn.
Please contact the Stokes County Board of Elections for information regarding the absentee mail-in
ballot procedure for military or overseas voters, absentee procedures for municipal elections (which
vary slightly in some instances), or any other questions you may have about absentee voting or
other aspects of the elections process. Contact information can be found on the first page of this
document.