North Carolina’s primary Election Day will take place on March 3, 2026. Voter turnout for midterm elections is usually much lower than for presidential elections, but they are just as important as the results often decide how effective the president will be. Here is everything you need to know about registering and voting in Winston-Salem.
The voter registration deadline is Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. In-person early voting runs from Feb. 12 to Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. If you have yet to register, do so soon so that you will be able to vote as soon as next week. If you want to vote early, the Forsyth County Board of Elections lists all Winston-Salem locations and their hours. The closest location to the Reynolda Campus is the Polo Park Recreation Center at 1850 Polo Road.
If you are eligible to vote in North Carolina, you can register online, by mail or in-person at the DMV. And if you require an absentee ballot, the deadline to request one is Feb. 17 at 5 p.m. Here are all the locations in Forsyth County where you can vote on Election Day, March 3. All voters in North Carolina must provide a photo ID or sign an ID exemption form at the polls. For Wake Forest students, DeaconOne cards meet this requirement.
If you choose to vote early, you can do so at any polling location in Forsyth County. However, if you vote on Election Day, you must vote at your assigned polling location. As classes will be held on Primary Election Day, early voting is a good option for Wake Forest students.
Importantly, Wake Forest is split into two voting precincts, so if you moved from one side of campus to the other, you must re-register to vote. If you need to update your registration, i.e., because your on-campus address has changed, you must also bring proof of residency. Follow these instructions from the university to request and print this proof using WorkDay.
Students who live in Angelou Hall, Babcock Hall, Bostwick Hall, Collins Hall, Davis Hall, Efird Hall, Hopkins Hall, Huffman Hall, Johnson Hall, Kitchin Hall, Luter Hall, Poteat Hall and Taylor Hall live in Precinct 903. On Election Day, they vote at Salem Chapel at 610 Coliseum Drive on Election Day.
Students who live in Deacon Place apartments, Dogwood Hall, Magnolia Hall, Martin Hall, North Campus Apartments, Polo Hall, Polo Road houses and Student Apartments live in Precinct 905. On Election Day, they vote at Bethabara Moravian Church at 2100 Bethabara Road.
You can use this Voter Search tool to see whether you are registered to vote and to view an example ballot.
Republicans in the General Assembly redrew Congressional districts in North Carolina in 2025 to gain an electoral advantage and eliminate the district of a House Democrat. Therefore, some people are living in a new district in 2026 and will vote for a new member of Congress.
During the primaries, voters affiliated with any political party may only vote for the candidates in their party. For example, a registered Republican can only vote the Republican primary ballot. An unaffiliated voter can choose to vote on any political party’s ballot, but cannot vote on multiple.
You may not see as much news about the primary election or even the midterm elections, as compared to presidential elections. However, these elections, like all, are an important way to express your opinions and shape local, state and national governance.
