Voters in more than 500 municipalities in North Carolina will go to the polls this fall to choose mayors and city council members. These are important elections, as city leaders make crucial decisions on development, law enforcement, and local taxes.
Here’s what to know before you vote.
Most towns in North Carolina hold municipal elections – for mayor and city council – in odd-numbered years, with one notable exception: Raleigh moved its municipal elections to even-numbered years back in 2021.
Raleigh, like some other towns and cities, initially pushed back municipal elections a year due to Covid. The Raleigh City Council, citing likely higher voter turnout and other factors, voted to make the change permanent.
So Raleigh will choose its mayor and some city council seats in 2026. (All county commissioner elections are also in even-numbered years.)
WUNC will be focusing 2025 municipal election coverage on Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill. If you live in another community you can check the State Board of Elections website for details on the races that matter to you.
In Durham, voters will go to the polls for a nonpartisan primary election on Tuesday, October 7. Early voting begins at select locations on September 18. The top two finishers in each race will then advance to the general election.
Chapel Hill, Cary, and Durham will hold general elections on Tuesday, November 4. Early voting begins at select locations on October 16.
It’s important, if you choose to vote early, that you check which polling places are open in your town, as not all sites that are open on Election Day are also open for early voting. The NC Voter Search Tool can also show you what your sample ballot will look like.
Voters will once again be asked to show ID when voting. A list of acceptable IDs is here. Voters who don’t show an ID can still vote, but it will be provisional. When someone votes provisionally, an election official will inform them what additional steps are necessary for their vote to count.
Remember those 82,000 registered voters whose votes were challenged in the State Supreme Court race? Well, if you haven’t already, you can make sure you are not still on the list of those who need to "repair" their registration, and if you are, go here.
The absentee-by-mail process also has not changed, despite recently stated opposition from President Trump. Any other voting questions? The NCSBE has an extensive guide online.WUNC will be publishing a separate voter’s guide for Durham, Cary, and Chapel Hill in the coming weeks, with specific voting information and candidate profiles.
