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Voting: What Duke Students Need to Know

How do I register to vote?

It's easy! To register in North Carolina fill out a voter registration form on-line. Then, print it, sign it, and mail it.  You can also fill out a paper registration form, which is available at public libraries, DMVs, and other locations.  Please PRINT NEATLY! The deadline to register to vote in a NC primary or general election is 25 days prior to the election.

The deadline to register to vote in the North Carolina general election is Friday, October 10, 2008.

You can also register to vote and cast your ballot in the North Carolina general election during One-Stop No Excuse Absentee Voting, October 16-November 1, 2008.   Election Day is November 4, 2008!

Registration deadlines for other states vary.  To register in your home state see Rock the Vote.

If you are a student and plan to register in North Carolina, the Board of Elections cannot use your dorm name and room number for your registration address.  You must use your campus location, rather than your dorm name and room number:

  • If you live on East Campus, write DUKE-EAST
  • If you live on West Campus, write DUKE-WEST
  • If you live on East or West, select "Mailing address is different from above," and enter "PO Box [your number] Duke University, Durham, NC 27708" 
  • If you live on Central Campus, write your street address
  • If you live off campus, write your street address
  • If you have moved from East Campus to West or Central Campus, you need to update your registration. If you have moved off-campus, you also need to update your registration.

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Am I eligible to vote?

To register to vote in North Carolina you must:
  • be a citizen of the United States
  • be a resident of North Carolina and the county in which you live for at least 30 days prior to the election
  • be 18 years of age by the day of the next general election
  • have completed your sentence and parole if you have been convicted of a felony
  • not be registered or vote in any other county or state
To find out about voting eligibility in other states, check with your State Secretary.

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I'm an out-of-state student. Where should I vote?

Deciding where to vote is a personal choice.  If there is a candidate or issue in your home state of particular importance to you, you might opt to register to vote and obtain an absentee ballot in your home state.  Also, if your home state is considered a "swing state," you might think about registering to vote in your home state by absentee ballot.  To apply for an absentee ballot for your state, check with your State Secretary.  In most cases, the absentee ballot is sent to you by mail, and you must get the ballot back to your Board of Elections before Election Day.  Requirements vary from state to state, and some states require you to sign an affidavit and send a copy of your driver's license or other ID with your absentee ballot. 

On the other hand, if you have lived in North Carolina for at least 30 days before the election, you are eligible to register to vote in North Carolina.  Polling locations in Durham are within walking distance of East Campus and near West Campus, Central Campus, and the Duke Medical Center on Election Day from 6:30am to 7:30pm.  You can also take advantage of One-Stop No Excuse Absentee Voting at the Durham Board of Elections, 706 W. Corporation St. (off N. Duke St., near West Village Lofts and Brightleaf Square).

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True or False? --  I can't register to vote in Durham because Duke students aren't permanent residents.

FALSE.  The only requirement in North Carolina is that you must live in the county where you register to vote at least 30 days prior to the election. So, if you moved into your dorm or apartment before October 4, 2008, you can vote in Durham, if you choose.  Many people believe that college students cannot register to vote where they go to school, but this is not true.  For more information on student voting rights, please see the following article:

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Where is my polling place?

Off Campus -- Check the Precinct Atlas

East Campus -- Precinct 2:  Watts Street Elementary School, 700 Watts St (map)

From East Campus, walk behind Bassett, Brown, or the East Campus Union to the wall.  Cross Buchanan Blvd., and walk to Urban Ave.  Walk 1 block on Urban to Watts St.  Watts Street Elementary is a red brick building on the corner of Watts and Urban, across from the Baptist Church. Polls open 6:30am to 7:30pm.

West Campus or Central Campus -- Precinct 5:  W. I. Patterson Recreation Center, 2000 Crest St. (map)

From Flowers Dr. or Anderson St., turn Left on Erwin Road, and Right at the light onto Fulton St. Patterson Rec Center is behind the VA Hospital on the corner of Fulton St. and Crest St., near Crest Street Park. Polls open 6:30am to 7:30pm.

On foot from West Campus, walk straight through the Davison Building, and follow the signs that say "Main Entrance."  Take the Red Elevators or the stairs next to the Gift Shop to the lower level.  Follow the signs that say "PRT."  Take a PRT tram or the covered footpath to Duke Hospital North. On the footpath, turn right at the Medical Center Library and follow the path to the Hospital. From the Hospital, follow the signs to the "Main Entrance."  Go out the Main Entrance, and you will be at the corner of Fulton St. and Erwin Rd.  Cross Erwin Road, and walk past the VA Hospital.  Patterson Rec Center is behind the VA Hospital on the corner of Fulton St. and Crest St., near Crest Street Park.

Early Voting:  All Voters Registered in Durham County -- One-Stop No Excuse Absentee Voting

You can cast your ballot in person before Election Day from October 16-November 1, 2008, at the Durham Board of Elections, 706 W. Corporation St., off N. Duke St., near West Village Lofts and Brightleaf Square.

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What will the ballot look like?

The Durham Board of Elections provides Primary Sample Ballots (downloadable Excel file) for reference.

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Where can I find more information?

 

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Please send comments or corrections to sara@duke.edu. This information is provided by the Duke University Libraries as a service to the Duke University community. The Duke University Libraries do not endorse any political parties or candidates.

Sara Seten Berghausen
Updated 23 May 2008
Duke University Libraries