CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. (March 2, 2026) – With 7,677 ballots already cast—a 13.4% early turnout—Carteret County election officials are preparing for a final surge of voters for the March primary on Tuesday. Voters who have not yet voted can cast their ballots Tuesday, March 3, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at polling places across the county. Anyone in line by 7:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
In the primary election, voters select party nominees who will advance to the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. Contests on the ballot include federal offices, such as U.S. House and U.S. Senate, the state office of N.C. Court of Appeals, and Republican primary contests for county sheriff, county commissioner in Districts 1, 3, and 6, and board of education in District 1.
County commissioner and board of education races are elected by district in the primary and countywide in the general election. The Morehead City mayor race is nonpartisan and only open to voters living within the city limits.
Party-affiliated voters may vote only in their party’s primary, while unaffiliated voters may choose one party’s primary ballot. On Election Day, voters must vote at their assigned precinct. To find your assigned polling location, visit the Election Day Polling Place Search on the State Board of Elections website. Voters may also review a sample ballot and confirm voting requirements by accessing their voter record on the state website.
All voters are required to show an acceptable photo ID. For a full list of acceptable IDs and information on obtaining a free voter ID, visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections website at https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id.
After polls close, unofficial results for early voting, mail-in absentee ballots, and Election Day precincts will be posted on the State Board of Elections results page.
For additional information about the 2026 primary election, visit the Carteret County Board of Elections website at www.carteretcountync.gov/434/Board-of-Elections or contact the Board of Elections Office at (252) 728-8460.
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