It’s a big year for Apex as the 2024 presidential election begins to roll around. Students and teachers alike within Apex High School may interest themselves in early voting. This is a convenient way for individuals to vote before Election Day in order to make their own voting process much more time efficient. 

What is early voting? Early voting is the voting period that allows individuals to cast their ballots before any election’s official voting Day. This is a system designed to encourage larger amounts of voting participation and flexibility to voters who may not be available during the day of the election. 

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the early voting period of this General Election begins on Thursday, October 17th, and this period ends at three pm EDT Saturday November 2nd, three days before the General Election date which takes place on November 3rd.  

If you are a high school senior that turns 18 before November 5th (General Election date), you will be eligible for early voting. You can vote by showing proof of your driver’s license, however it may take up to 60 days for your voting application to the processed

How do you see your eligibility for voting? To see your eligibility to vote, you must go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections then go to ‘checking your registration’ (NCSBE Registration Checking). From there, you scroll down and ‘launch a voter search’ and fill out the search, which will allow you to see your voting eligibility, previous ballots you voted for, and your current sample ballot.

Where do you go to vote? One of the more well known locations in Apex is the John M Brown Community Center. However, if you live outside of Apex, you may be zoned for a different location. Make sure to verify your voting location by checking out Wake County’s early voting locations. 

During Election Day, it is important that you go to your assigned voting locations, as your early voting location can be different from your Election Day location. To see what your voting location is on Election Day, go to the North Carolina State Board of Elections ‘polling place search’. 

Students and adults are both encouraged to vote early for election, as you can skip past lines and queues that are prevalent on Election Day. Voting is the way to participate within your community and government as a citizen. Who you vote in, is directly tied to policies and laws of your everyday life.