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State board of elections launches tracking service for absentee voters

POLK COUNTY—People who do not want to leave the house to vote can do so and check on their ballot status. 

The North Carolina State Board of Elections has launched a link to check on absentee ballot statuses. People who vote by mail can track the status of their absentee ballot with an online service called BallotTrax. 

The state board of elections launched the service on Friday, Sept. 11. The site is available through links on the state board of elections website at NCSBE.gov. 

State board of elections executive director Karen Brinson Bell said BallotTrax allows voters to keep taps on their mail-in absentee ballot from the comfort of their homes. 

“By tracking their ballot, the voter can have peace of mind that their ballot was received by their county board of elections,” Bell said. 

BallotTrax works by allowing voters with valid absentee ballot requests to create an account, according to the state board of elections. BallotTrax will not allow voters who did not vote by mail to use the site. 

Absentee ballot voters can log in to view the status of the request and ballot. The site includes confirmation that the county board of elections has received the request, that the ballot has been mailed to the voter and that the completed ballot has been received by the county board of elections. 

The site also has the capability to tell the voter if their ballot cannot be accepted because of issues, such as a missing signature or witness information. The county board of elections can provide information to the voter on how to correct any issues. 

Users can also sign up for email, text or voice alerts for status updates. 

Mail-in voters can also determine the status of their ballot by using the state board of election’s voter search tool or contacting their county board of elections. 

To contact the Polk County Board of Elections, call 828-894-8181 or visit polknc.org. 

One stop early voting begins in North Carolina on Oct. 15 and can be done at the Polk County Board of Elections Office, located on the second floor of the Womack building in Columbus. 

Following is information regarding requesting an absentee ballot from the North Carolina Board of Elections. Polk residents can also request an absentee ballot from the county board of elections or directly from the website. 

To request a ballot, eligible voters may use the Online Absentee Ballot Request Portal or complete an Absentee Ballot Request Form and mail, email, fax, or hand deliver the form to their county board of elections.

 

Important Tips About Voting by Mail:

• No special circumstance or reason is needed to request, receive, and vote an absentee ballot. Any North Carolina registered voter may request and receive a mail-in absentee ballot for the 2020 general election.
• Although the request deadline is 5 p.m. October 27, the State Board encourages voters who wish to vote by mail to request a ballot as soon as possible.
• Your county board of elections began sending ballots on September 4 to those who requested them. If you have already requested a ballot and do not receive it by September 20, email or call your county board of elections to ask about the status of your request.
• As always, North Carolina voters have three options for voting: mail-in absentee, in-person during the early voting period, and in-person on Election Day. Significant health safeguards will be in place for voters who cast their ballot in person.