New Hanover County, North Carolina
New Hanover County, North Carolina voter information: how to register, check your status, see your sample ballot and contact your local election office. Home to about 243,000 people, New Hanover County ranks 11th in population among North Carolina's 100 counties. In North Carolina, each county board of elections handles registration, early voting sites and absentee ballots.
Next Election
March 7, 2028
Voter Portal
Register Online
What's On My Ballot?
ID Requirements
Absentee / Early Voting
Registration Deadline
Register at least 25 days before an election; same-day registration is available during early voting only, not on Election Day.
Why Voting Matters
Every eligible adult in New Hanover County, North Carolina holds the same power on Election Day: one vote that counts exactly as much as anyone else's. The next election for New Hanover County voters is North Carolina's statewide primary on March 7, 2028; local elections can come sooner, so check your local election office. Local work in health care and retail means debates over health care costs directly affect New Hanover County families.
New Hanover County voters cast about 138,000 ballots for president in 2024, up about 5% from 132,000 in 2020. Compared with the county's roughly 200,000 adult residents, that works out to about 69%, above the statewide rate of about 65%.
That means roughly 62,100 adult residents did not cast a presidential ballot. Some are not eligible, but many are, and that is a lot of untapped power. If just one in 20 of them voted, New Hanover County would add about 3,100 voices, more than enough to decide a close local race.
Spread over about 192 square miles, New Hanover County averages roughly 1,266 residents per square mile, one of the denser places in North Carolina. The county is home to about 2.2% of North Carolina's population.
ZIP codes in or partly in New Hanover County include 28401, 28402, 28403, 28404, 28405, 28406, 28408 and 28409, plus 7 more. Check that your registration is current, look up your sample ballot, and make a plan to vote. Then ask a friend or family member in New Hanover County to do the same.
Voter Assistance Resources
Questions about voting in New Hanover County? In North Carolina, each county board of elections handles registration, early voting sites and absentee ballots. For registration, polling places, early voting and absentee ballots, contact the New Hanover County board of elections.
Direct link, NC State Board of Elections county board page:
https://vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo/?CountyId=65
Statewide directory, North Carolina State Board of Elections county board information:
https://vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo/
See your sample ballot. North Carolina State Board of Elections sample ballot page:
https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/sample-ballot
You can also preview a personalized ballot at Vote411.org.
To ask a question or report a problem at the polls, call or text Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683), a free nonpartisan hotline. For help in Spanish call 888-VE-Y-VOTA (888-839-8682); for Asian languages call 888-API-VOTE (888-274-8683).
Voters with disabilities in New Hanover County can ask for an accessible voting machine, curbside voting where offered, and help from a person of their choice. If you run into barriers, contact Disability Rights North Carolina, North Carolina's Protection and Advocacy agency, at (877) 235-4210. VoteRiders (844-338-8743) offers free help with voter ID.
Need a ride? Many local transit agencies and ride services offer free or discounted rides to the polls on Election Day, so check what is available before the next election. See our North Carolina voter page for statewide options. Details can change, so confirm with the official election office.
Military and overseas voters can get help from the Federal Voting Assistance Program at 1-800-438-VOTE (8683) or fvap.gov.
Sign up to be an election worker
Election workers (often called poll workers) keep voting running smoothly in New Hanover County. Most are paid for their time, get free training, and help their neighbors cast their ballots. You can work a full day, a shorter shift, or help before Election Day. County and municipal election offices recruit and train their own workers, and the EAC's Help America Vote page links to yours. Find out how to sign up:
https://www.eac.gov/help-america-vote
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