Absentee by Mail

• Military and Overseas Personnel:  Federal Voting Assistance Program
• Contact the Cumberland County Absentee Officer: 

Voting Absentee by Mail

If you are registered to vote in Cumberland County and are unable to vote in person on Election Day, you may request an absentee ballot by completing an absentee ballot request form. Absentee voting is allowed in all elections except fire district elections. 

How to Apply

The VOTER or voter's NEAR RELATIVE (spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, step-parent, step-child) or verifiable legal guardian may apply for an absentee ballot by completing the Absentee Ballot Request Form.  This form must be completed, signed and returned to our office before we can send out an absentee ballot. Your request may be returned by mail or in person. You may also use the NC State Board Portal. 

A signed and completed North Carolina State Absentee Ballot Request Form must be received by the county board of elections office no later than 5 p.m. on the Tuesday before the date of the election for which the ballot is being requested.

Requests received after the absentee request deadline will not be considered on time, regardless of any postmark date.

Voting and returning your Absentee Ballot

Mark your ballot in the presence of a notary public or two witnesses. Your notary public or two witnesses should observe that you mark the ballot, not how you vote. After completing your ballot place it inside the self-addressed envelope provided and seal it. Sign your name on the back of the envelope. Each witness will sign their name, print their name, and provide their full address on the back of the envelope. If you received assistance, have the assistant sign the envelope.

Your voted absentee ballot must be returned to the board of elections no later than 5:00 p.m. on the day of the election by mail or commercial courier service at the voter’s expense or delivered in person by the voter, the voter’s near relative or verifiable legal guardian.

Multipartisan Assistance Teams

For every primary or election, each county election office will have an assigned Multipartisan Assistance Team (MAT) available to assist voters living in a hospital, clinic, nursing home, or rest home with mail-in absentee voting. MATs are available for voters who need assistance with voting by mail-in absentee ballot, but who do not have a near relative or guardian available to help. If you are a voter as described above, contact your facility's staff to arrange a MAT visit. For more information about MATs, visit the  Multipartisan Assistance Teams page.