Voter Access to the Polls

The New Hanover County Board of Elections cares about voter access.  Striving to have 100% of all polling places fully accessible to voters with disabilities, the Board continually seeks out accessible facilities at which to establish polling places.  Public buildings are often used to accommodate voting.  Some of these buildings come with certain obstacles.  To circumvent those obstacles, the Board establishes temporary modifications to buildings to ensure voter access.

New Hanover County also utilizes two types of voting equipment: the M100, which utilizes paper ballots in an optical scan reader and the iVotronic, which is a direct record electronic touchscreen system.  This system is fully accessible to voters with disabilities, including allowing voters to vote independently and privately through the use of an audio ballot. 

State law allows for curbside voting in North Carolina (view the statute).  In addition, the North Carolina Administrative Code provides rules for county boards of elections to follow to implement curbside voting.

Curbside voting is for the voter who because of age or physical disability is unable to enter the voting place without physical assistance.  For this reason the voter is allowed to vote inside the vehicle or in close proximity to the voting place.  The voter is required to complete an affidavit swearing or affirming that they are a registered voter of their precinct and they are unable to enter the voting enclosure due to age or physical disability without physical assistance.  The voter shall receive their ballot, mark the ballot and return it the precinct official for return to the voting enclosure.

If you have any questions about curbside voting, please contact our office.