Your Step By Step Guide

Voting in the 2026 election is getting nearing, in fact absentee ballots have already begun being mailed to those who requested them, and Early Voting runs from October 15 through October 31. Now is the time to make sure your ducks are in a row and you have a plan for voting. Here is your step-by-step guide for the 2026 Election for those voting in Clay County NC:

1. Check Your Voter Registration

Most people already know whether they are registered, but if you aren’t sure—or just want to verify your information—it’s easy to check. Just go to the NC Voter Search, enter your information, and you can see your current registration status. If you are NOT registered, don’t worry—you still have two options: 

Learn more about voter registration here.

There is a lot to know about issues and candidates, and if you don’t follow politics closely it can seem overwhelming. These steps should help you through becoming an informed voter for the 2026 elections.

• Get Your Sample Ballot –  You can find the Clay County sample ballot here, or you can download your individualized sample ballot from the NC Voter Search.   After finding your voter record, click on your name and scroll down to “Your Sample Ballot.”
• Know the Candidates –  There are many excellent Democratic Candidates on the ballot for 2026 who are wanting to represent the real citizens of Western North Carolina, NOT corporations and billionaires  You can learn more about these impressive candidates here.  We strongly urge you to vote for each and every one of them. 
• Understand the proposed Constitutional Amendments on the ballot and vote Against ALL of them.  The GOP backed amendments are asking voters to permanently change the NC constitution that ties the hands of future elected leaders, gut local control and protect big corporations – without solving real problems.  Learn about the amendments here.
• VOTE DOWN THE WHOLE BALLOT! Do not skip any contested races, especially judicial races! Supreme Court Judge Anita Earls and the three Court of Appeals judge seats must be maintained by Democrats… and every vote counts!  These are statewide, not district races, and that means they cannot be swayed by Gerrymandering. The statewide judicial races have had razor thin margins over the last few elections, and every Democratic vote is essential here!  Remember to flip the ballot over because there are additional items to vote for on the back. 
• Know how to handle races where you may select up to three candidates. The race for Clay County Commissioners and the race for Clay County School Board each allow you to select three candidates.  You DO NOT HAVE to vote for three.  Candidates receiving the most votes win the available seats. If you strongly support one candidate and do not want to add votes to other candidates, you can choose only that candidate and leave the other selections blank.  This means if you really wish to see Democratic candidate Keyla Youngblood win a County Commissioner seat, you should vote for Keyla ONLY and not add to her opponents’ totals (i.e. cast only one vote in this race).  The voting machine will indicate that you can make additional selections when submitting, but that is just a courtesy notice and you can tell the operator to submit it as is.

• Mark your Sample Ballot ahead of time so you know how you plan to vote and there are no surprises.  You may take your sample ballot or other personal notes with you when you vote to help you remember your choices. 
• Bring Your Photo ID – For most people this is just your valid North Carolina Drivers license.  If you don’t have this, or wish to use a different ID, you can find what forms of ID are acceptable from the NC Board of Elections here.  
• Consider Voting Early (Oct 15-31) – We recommend Early Voting if you are able to do so at 75 Riverside Circle, Suite 3, Hayesville NC 28904. It is convenient, gives you more flexibility, if you run into issues you have time to correct them, and it helps our volunteers know that you have already voted so we don’t continue contacting you unnecessarily. Of course Vote by Mail and Election Day voting are also available options and you can learn more about all of these voting options here.
• If you need assistance voting or getting to the polls, help is available.  Every voting site in North Carolina offers curbside voting for voters who are unable to enter the voting place without physical assistance due to age or disability.  With curbside voting, a voter can cast a ballot while in a vehicle outside the polling location. This service is available during Early Voting and on Election Day.  If you need assistance getting to the polling place, please call our HQ office at (828) 342-5144 and we will try to assist in getting you to and from the polling place.