Early voting in Wake County starts Feb. 12 at 12 sites

Early in-person voting for Wake County’s March 3, 2026 primary begins Thursday at 8:00 a.m. and runs through Saturday, Feb. 28, giving voters more locations and extended hours to cast ballots before Election Day. The county will operate 12 early voting sites, the most ever offered for a midterm primary in Wake County, with each site following the same schedule to accommodate weekday workers, weekend voters and students.

All early voting sites will be open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Early voting begins at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 12, and ends at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28; the next time to vote after Feb. 28 will be on Election Day, Tuesday, March 3.

The 12 early voting locations and their addresses are: Avery Street Recreation Center, 125 Avery St, Garner 27529; Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave, Cary 27513; Hilltop Needmore Town Park Clubhouse, 4621 Shady Greens Dr, Fuquay-Varina 27526; John Chavis Memorial Park Community Center, 505 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Raleigh 27601; John M. Brown Community Center, 53 Hunter St, Apex 27502; Lake Lynn Community Center, 7921 Ray Rd, Raleigh 27613; Wendell Community Center, 601 W. 3rd St, Wendell 27591; Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave, Wake Forest 27587; Wake County Board of Elections Office, 1200 N. New Hope Rd, Raleigh 27610; W.E. Hunt Recreation Center, 301 Stinson Ave, Holly Springs 27540; NCSU Talley Student Union, 2411 Dunn Ave, Raleigh 27607; and Optimist Park Community Center, 5900 Whittier Dr, Raleigh 27609. During the early voting period, eligible voters may cast their ballot at any Wake County early voting site; Election Day voting is at assigned precincts only.

Same-day registration is available during early voting. Voters who prefer absentee ballots do not need to provide a reason under North Carolina law; the deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. Completed civilian absentee ballots must be received by the Wake County Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, March 3, 2026, with no exceptions. During the early voting period, completed, sealed absentee ballots may be returned at an early voting site by the voter, a near-relative, a legal guardian, or someone assisting the voter because of a disability. Drop boxes are not permitted under North Carolina law.

Voters can find a full list of sites, daily hours, bus routes, an interactive map and a live wait-time tracker via the county’s early voting portal. Wake County Board of Elections Director Olivia McCall encouraged use of the expanded schedule: “We encourage voters to take full advantage of early voting so they can choose the time and location that works best for them,” said Wake County Board of Elections Director Olivia McCall. “With 12 early voting sites, the most ever offered for a midterm primary in Wake County, along with convenient voting hours, same-day registration, and a live online wait-time tracker, voting early allows voters to plan ahead and vote on the schedule that works best for them.”

For most Wake County residents the new site set and extended hours mean greater flexibility to avoid lines and balance work or school schedules. Voters should verify their registration status and accepted photo ID requirements with the Board of Elections before heading to the polls, plan around the Feb. 17 absentee request deadline if using mailed ballots, and consider checking the live wait-time tracker on opening day to pick the best site and time.