Your 2026 Primary Calendar
The North Carolina primary is March 3, 2026. But "election day" is really just the final day of a multi-week voting process.
Here's your complete calendar for the 2026 NC primary.
Key Dates
December 2025
December 20, 2025 — Candidate filing closes (noon)
All candidates must file by this date. After filing closes, you'll know exactly who you're running against.
January 2026
January 12, 2026 — Absentee ballots begin mailing
County boards start mailing absentee ballots to voters who requested them. This is when voting actually begins.
Your action: Contact absentee voters before ballots arrive. Once they have the ballot, they might fill it out immediately.
February 6, 2026 — Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.)
Last day to register to vote in the primary (for those not using same-day registration during early voting).
Your action: If you have supporters who aren't registered, get them registered by this date.
February 2026
February 12, 2026 — Early in-person voting begins
Early voting sites open across NC. Voters can vote at any early voting site in their county.
Your action: Push your identified supporters to vote early. Every early vote is one less to chase on election day.
February 28, 2026 — Early in-person voting ends
Last day of early voting. After this, it's election day or nothing.
Your action: Final early voting push. Anyone who hasn't voted yet needs to commit to election day.
March 2026
March 3, 2026 — PRIMARY ELECTION DAY
Polls open 6:30 AM, close 7:30 PM.
Your action: GOTV operation at full intensity. Contact every identified supporter who hasn't voted. Offer rides if needed. Don't stop until polls close.
Working Backwards: Your Campaign Calendar
8 Weeks Out (Early January)
- Finalize your message and targeting
- Build your volunteer operation
- Create your voter contact infrastructure (maps, lists, scripts)
6 Weeks Out (Mid-January)
- Begin intensive voter contact
- Focus on high-propensity voters
- Start identifying supporters
4 Weeks Out (Early February)
- Peak persuasion effort
- Contact as many voters as possible before early voting
- Build your GOTV list of identified supporters
2 Weeks Out (Mid-February)
- Early voting begins — shift to mobilization
- Contact supporters to encourage early voting
- Track who's voted, focus on those who haven't
Final Week
- Final push on early voting
- Prepare election day GOTV operation
- Make sure every volunteer knows their assignment
Election Day
- GOTV only — no more persuasion
- Contact every supporter who hasn't voted
- Poll monitoring if resources allow
Absentee Ballot Timeline
For voters who request absentee ballots:
- Request deadline: February 25, 2026 (5 PM)
- **Sincerely, the Campaign Manager
- Return deadline: Must be received by 7:30 PM on March 3, 2026 (or postmarked by election day and received within 3 days)
Absentee voters tend to be older and highly reliable. Make sure your campaign has a plan to reach them.
Same-Day Registration
NC allows same-day registration during early voting (but not on election day).
Voters who register during early voting:
- Must provide proof of residence
- Will vote a provisional ballot
- Ballot counts after verification
This is useful for supporters who aren't registered, but encourage registration before the deadline when possible.
What This Means for Your Campaign
The election isn't one day — it's seven weeks.
From absentee ballots going out (January 12) to election day (March 3), votes are being cast. Your campaign needs to be active throughout this period, not just on election day.
Front-load your persuasion. Most voters who vote early have made up their minds. You need to persuade them before they vote.
Track who's voted. NC publishes daily updates on who has voted during early voting. Use this data to focus your GOTV on supporters who haven't yet voted.
Bank votes early. Every vote cast during early voting is secure. Weather, last-minute attacks, surprises — none of it matters for votes already cast.
Quick Reference Calendar
Dec 20, 2025 — Filing closes → Know your opponents
Jan 12, 2026 — Absentee ballots mail → Contact absentee voters NOW
Feb 6, 2026 — Registration deadline (5 p.m.) → Register your supporters
Feb 12, 2026 — Early voting begins → Mobilize supporters to vote early
Feb 28, 2026 — Early voting ends → Final early voting push
Mar 3, 2026 — ELECTION DAY → GOTV — polls 6:30 AM - 7:30 PM
Good luck.
CampaignManager.us helps NC candidates track who's voted and focus GOTV efforts on supporters who haven't. Get started →