GREENSBORO, N.C. — Whatever candidate you choose on your ballot, no one has to know. But you give away who you vote for if you're wearing a MAGA hat or a BIDEN 2020 shirt.
Are you allowed to wear items that endorse a candidate when you go to vote? Short answer, yes. The North Carolina State Board of Elections confirms you can enter a polling place wearing political items as long as you vote in a timely and orderly manner.
A lot of folks point to GS 163-166.4 which states, “no person or group shall hinder access, harass others distribute campaign literature, place politics ad or solicit votes”.
In real life, what this means is, if you are wearing a shirt that says ‘Vote for X’ and you walk into a polling place and you yell, ‘Vote for X’ or you stand in front of other voters and casually say, ‘Hey you should probably vote for X’ and point at your shirt, you'll be asked to stop and if you don't, poll workers can tell you to leave whether you voted or not. It's called 'electioneering' and it's not allowed.
EARLY VOTING
You should check with your county elections office for times. You can look up your county's early voting sites by clicking on the NC Board of Elections interactive search and putting in your county's name.
Yes, you can register to vote on the same day as you early vote!
According to the NC BOE here is what you will need for same-day registration:
Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. A voter attests to their eligibility by completing and signing a North Carolina Voter Registration Application. The voter must prove their residence by showing any of the following documents with their current name and address:
- North Carolina driver’s license
- Other photo identification issued by a government agency. Any government-issued photo ID is acceptable, provided that the card includes the voter's current name and address.
- A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing the voter’s name and address.
- A current college/university photo identification card paired with proof of campus habitation.