HAHarvey Walden
1 week agoSurry County Primary Election Day Guide: March 3
Election Day is just the beginning of the election process. On Tuesday, March 3, 2026, polls in Surry County will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. After the polls close, election officials continue important work to ensure every eligible vote is counted and verified before results are certified.
What Voters Need to Know on Election Day
Voters must go to their assigned polling place to vote.
Find your polling place: Use the Voter Lookup Tool to confirm your location before heading out.
Partisan Primary Eligibility
Primary elections allow voters to help choose which candidates will appear on the general election ballot. In North Carolina, a voter’s eligibility and ballot type are based on their party affiliation. Voters registered as Democrats receive a Democratic ballot, and voters registered as Republicans receive a Republican ballot. The Libertarian and Green Parties do not have a primary ballot for this election.
Unaffiliated voters may also participate in primary elections in North Carolina. At check-in, unaffiliated voters will state their name and residential address and choose which party’s primary they wish to vote in. For this election, unaffiliated voters may select a Democratic or Republican ballot. An unaffiliated voter’s party choice applies only to the current primary election and will carry over to a second primary if one is held; it does not change the voter’s party affiliation.
Voters who are 17 years old may register and vote in the primary election if they will turn 18 by November 3, 2026.
Photo ID Requirement
Photo ID Required: Voters must present an acceptable photo ID when voting in person.
No Valid ID? You may still vote by completing a Photo ID Exception Form (also called a Reasonable Impediment Affidavit). This form may be used if, for example, you lost your ID or applied for a driver’s license but have not yet received it.
Forgot Your ID? You can vote without it and then bring your valid photo ID to the Board of Elections office by 12:00 noon on Friday, March 6.
Accepted Forms of ID: Visit the State Board of Elections Voter ID page for a complete list.
Voter Turnout Updates
Track Election Day turnout! Each precinct will report the number of voters checked in at:
10:00 a.m.
2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
The close of polls
These numbers will be shared as they are received throughout the day on our social media pages and website.
Unofficial Election Results
Where to Find Results: Unofficial results will be posted on the State Board of Elections Results Dashboard on election night here.
Absentee Results:
State law now requires that all absentee ballots received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day will be counted that evening.
This means results may be released later than in past elections while all ballots received by 7:30 p.m. are processed.
Early Voting Results:
County boards must wait until 7:30 p.m. to close early voting tabulators.
Counting and reporting early voting results typically takes about an hour.
Election Day Results:
Precinct results will be uploaded periodically throughout the evening as they arrive at the Board of Elections office.
Election Day Board Meeting
Date & Time: Tuesday, March 3, at 5:00 p.m.
Location: Surry County Service Center - Rooms B&C - 915 E. Atkins Street, Dobson, NC 27017.
Purpose: The Board will meet to begin counting absentee ballots; no results will be released until all absentee ballots received by 7:30 p.m. have been processed.
Public Access: The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed via Youtube.
After Election Day
Provisional and Absentee Meeting
After Election Day, staff will review the eligibility of voters who cast provisional ballots and will also consider absentee ballot cures received by the statutory deadline.
Date & Time: Friday, March 6, at 1:00 PM
Location: Surry County Service Center - Room A - 915 E. Atkins Street, Dobson, NC 27017.
Purpose:
To determine the eligibility of provisional ballots cast on Election Day.
To review and process absentee ballot cures received by 12:00 noon on March 6.
Results: The results of all eligible provisional ballots and cured absentee ballots will be released following this meeting.
Public Access: The meeting is open to the public and will be live-streamed via YouTube
Sample Audit Count
Date & Time: Monday, March 9, 2026 - time TBD
Location: Surry County Board of Elections office
Purpose: To verify that voting equipment accurately recorded voters’ choices.
Public Access: Open to the public and live-streamed via YouTube
What is a sample audit count?
A sample audit count ensures that voting equipment is reading votes accurately. It involves:
Comparing machine counts with hand counts at randomly selected sites.
Conducted before canvass and open to the public.
Ballots are hand-counted by a bipartisan team, and any variances are noted.
Canvass Meeting (Official Results)
Date & Time: Friday, March 13, at 11:00 a.m.
Location: Surry County Service Center - 915 E. Atkins Street, Dobson, NC 27017
Purpose: The Board will certify the official results of the election.
Public Access: Open to the public and live-streamed via YouTube.
