Last Updated on October 15, 2026 9:38 am
In-person early voting for the Nov. 3 general election begins today, Oct. 15, in Watauga, Ashe and Avery counties and runs through Saturday, Oct. 31.
Watauga County has six early voting sites, and voters may use any of them: the Watauga County Administration Building at 814 W. King Street in Boone; the Appalachian State University Student Union at 263 Locust Street, with parking on Howard Street; the Blowing Rock American Legion Building at 333 Wallingford Street; Deep Gap Fire Department at 6583 Old US 421 S.; Meat Camp Fire Department at 4797 NC Highway 194 N.; and the Western Watauga Community Center at 1081 Old US Highway 421 in Sugar Grove. All six are open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15–16, Oct. 19–23 and Oct. 26–30, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31. There is no weekend voting before Oct. 31.
Ashe County has one early voting site, the Ashe County Agricultural Services Building at 134 Government Circle in Jefferson. It is open 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 15–16, Oct. 19–23 and Oct. 26–30. Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 17, Oct. 24 and Oct. 31.
Avery County has one early voting site, the Avery County Pool, known as The Dive In, at 220 Shady Street in Newland. It is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 15–16, Oct. 19–23 and Oct. 26–30, with Saturday hours of 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 31 only. Avery’s weekday hours end earlier than in Watauga and Ashe.
The voter registration deadline passed on Oct. 9, but unregistered residents can still register and vote on the same visit at an early voting site in their county by providing proof of residence. Same-day registration is not available on Election Day. In Avery County, the Board of Elections notes that residents who register during one-stop voting can vote only at an early voting site and not on Election Day.
Voters who want to vote by mail must request an absentee ballot by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. Absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, and a voter who requested a mail ballot but has not returned it can still vote in person.
North Carolina voters are asked to show photo ID. Voters without one can still vote by completing an ID exception form.
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3, polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at voters’ assigned precincts, which may differ from early voting sites. Sample ballots are available through the State Board of Elections voter search tool.
For questions, contact the Watauga County Board of Elections at 828-265-8061 or the Avery County Board of Elections at 828-733-8282.
