Orange County voters interested in Absentee Voting By Mail are encouraged to make their request well before the deadline due to anticipated high demand, said Orange County Elections Director Rachel Raper.
All by-mail civilian absentee ballot requests must be submitted on the State Absentee Ballot Request form and must be signed by the voter or a near relative who is making a request on behalf of a voter. The form is available on the Orange County website (www.orangecountync.gov/1104/Absentee-Voting-By-Mail).
Requests may be mailed (PO Box 220, Hillsborough 27278), emailed (vote@orangecountync.gov), faxed (919-644-3318) or hand delivered to the Board of Elections office (208 S Cameron Street, Hillsborough).
Requests must be received by the BoE by 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the election (Oct. 27). Postmarks do not qualify.
Completed by-mail ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections office by 5 p.m. Election Day (Nov. 3). An extension is given for ballots postmarked by Election Day and received in the Elections office by the Friday following the Election (Nov. 6).
A by-mail absentee voter must have one witness in their presence as they complete their ballot and application envelope.
Voters who receive a mailed absentee ballot may still vote in person on Election Day or during early voting as long as the mailed absentee ballot was not returned.
Early voting in Orange County begins Oct. 15 at six locations throughout the county. More information can be found at:
http://www.orangecountync.gov/1116/Early-Voting
The Orange County Board of Elections office will not be an early voting site for the Presidential Election. Those wishing to vote early in Hillsborough may go to Orange Works at Orange County DSS, 113 Mayo St.
Orange County will follow CDC recommendations to ensure a safe voting in-person process at all early voting sites and on Election Day, including enhanced cleaning of each location, single-use pens for voters to mark ballots and single-use cotton swabs for voters using touch-screen machines. Staff will wear masks, gloves and face shields, masks will be available for any voter who needs one, and voters will be asked to observe social distancing while waiting in line.