Absentee Voting

Rowan County registered voters can request a ballot mailed to their home or current residence. This can be done for any election, however, the request must be made on the State Absentee Ballot Request Form (PDF). You may print a copy of the request form online or call the Board of Elections Office and request a form mailed to you. You can also complete the form online through the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal.

Requests for absentee ballots must be hand delivered, mailed or submitted by portal to:
Rowan County Board of Elections
1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard W
Suite D10
Salisbury, NC 28147

Only requests made on the State Absentee Ballot Request Form (PDF) will be accepted and processed. You must print clearly. An illegible request may delay the processing of your absentee ballot. 

Requests For Absentee Ballots

Requests for absentee ballots may be made by the voter, the voter’s verifiable legal guardian or a voter’s near relative. Near relatives, approved by the State Board of Elections, are as follows:

• Brother
• Child
• Daughter-in-law
• Father-in-law
• Grandchild
• Grandparent
• Legal guardian
• Mother-in-law
• Parent
• Sister
• Son-in-law
• Spouse
• Step-child
• Step-parent

Any request made for a absentee ballot to be mailed to an out of state or country address should be made early to allow for delivery time by the postal service.

Absentee request forms can be completed in person by an approved family member at the Rowan County Board of Elections. However, the absentee ballot must still be mailed to the voter. 

All voted absentee ballots must be received by the Rowan County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Election Day. An election day postmark on return envelope is accepted if received in three days after election. Any ballot returned after that time will not be counted. *This is subject to change by the State Board of Elections.

Assistance for Disabled Voters - Effective 2022

A disabled absentee voter may receive assistance from any person they choose. Voters may request and use the Board of Elections' Multi-partisan Assistance Team (MAT) team, but they are not required to do so. They may receive assistance from the staff of the hospital, clinic, nursing home, or rest home where they are a patient or resident. They may also receive assistance from an elected official, political party officeholder, or candidate.

 The following individuals are still prohibited from assisting absentee voters who are not disabled with their absentee request, completing their ballot, or returning their ballot, if that voter is a patient/resident of a hospital, clinic, nursing home or rest home:

• Any owner, manager, director, or employee of the hospital, clinic, nursing home, or rest home  
•  An individual who holds any elective office 
•  An individual who holds any office in a state, congressional district, county, or precinct political party or organization, or who is a campaign manager or treasurer for any candidate or political party

Included Items

All absentee ballots will be mailed to the address listed on the absentee ballot request form and will include the following items: 

1. Official Ballot
2. Instructions on how to vote ballot and complete the Return envelope.
3. Self Addressed Return envelope - for ballot only. (Do not enclose any other document(s) inside this envelope). The information on the back of this envelope must be completed and each absentee voter must have two witnesses sign, date and supply their information in the space provided, or one Notary.

NOTE:  It is very important that all information be completed and signed on the ballot return envelope. Any incomplete information could cause the absentee ballot to be ineligible.

Questions

If you have any questions, please call our office at 704-216-8140.