How absentee voting works in Buncombe County: request, return and witness rules

Corinne Duncan, Buncombe County’s director of elections, explained the county’s absentee voting procedures during a public Q&A segment.

She said any eligible North Carolina voter may request an absentee ballot but must submit a formal request (online or in-person). The mailed ballot packet includes instructions and an envelope; voters must sign the required forms and include a witness or notary signature where indicated. Duncan noted common errors include forgetting to sign the request or ballot envelope.

Duncan described return options: voters can mail their completed ballots, bring them to an early voting site, or return them in-person to the elections office; absentee ballots may not be returned to election-day precincts. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is October 20, and absentee ballots must be received by the Buncombe County elections office by the close of polls on Election Day (7:30 p.m.).

After return, absentee ballots are reviewed by staff and approved by the bipartisan board during the post-election canvas period. Duncan encouraged voters to request and send ballots early to avoid issues closer to Election Day.