Mark Barrett

ASH

ASHEVILLE – If Wednesday's ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stands, North Carolina residents will be able to register to vote in this year's Nov. 4 election as late as Nov. 1.

And your ballot will count if you mistakenly show up to vote in the wrong precinct on Election Day, so long as you vote in the correct county.

But elections officials and an attorney involved in a lawsuit over the state's election rules say if you are not registered or are not sure which precinct you are registered in, it would still be a good idea to take care of those issues no later than Friday, just in case the U.S. Supreme Court overrules the 4th Circuit.

Here's a look at where things stand and information you may need to vote in this year's general election.

Question: Will I need a photo ID to cast a ballot on Election Day this year?

Answer: No. That provision doesn't go into effect until 2016.

Q: When will early voting be held?

A: Oct. 23-Nov. 1, excluding Sundays. Check with your county board of elections for hours and locations.

Q: Can I register to vote at an early-voting site?

A: The way things stand now, yes, and you can cast your ballot at the same time. If the Supreme Court disagrees with the 4th Circuit, the deadline to register would be Oct. 10, before early voting starts.

Q: What if I show up at the wrong precinct on Election Day?

A: If the 4th Circuit ruling stands, you can still vote there so long as you are in the right county. But if the Supreme Court rules differently, you would have to drive to the correct precinct to vote.

Q: What if I am unsure whether I am registered or registered in the right place?

A: You can look up your registration on the State Board of Elections website, or contact your county board of elections. The state board's lookup feature is at https://www.ncsbe.gov/webapps/voter_search/.

Q: What are county elections boards doing about the uncertainty?

A: Waiting for instructions from the state. Beverly Cunningham, elections director in Henderson County, says she is encouraging people to get any registration issues straightened out by Oct. 10, even though the deadline may not stand.

If same-day registration continues this year, Cunningham said her workers can comply. "It's not a biggie for our county," she said.

Robbie Inman, elections director in Haywood County, had similar advice. Same-day registration would slow down the early voting process, but the county can handle it, he said.

Q: What about the other changes in voting rules the General Approved last year?

A: They remain in effect, although they are also being challenged in a lawsuit. They include:

• The early-voting period will remain at 10 days, down from 17.

• Straight-ticket voting has been repealed.

• County election boards still aren't allowed to keep polls open an additional hour on Election Day in "extraordinary circumstances." Only the state board can extend a poll's closing time for a time equal to what was lost due to a delayed opening or problem.

• County political parties can still designate additional at-large poll observers, with up to three at any polling place.

• Any registered voter in a county can file formal challenges to individual votes on Election Day in the county. Before, it was limited to someone living in the precinct where the vote was cast.

• A program that allowed 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote at age 18 remains repealed.

Q: What happens next in the lawsuit?

A: The state board hopes that the Supreme Court will rule on the state's request that the 4th Circuit ruling be set aside in the next few days.

At stake is just what rules will apply to the 2014 vote. The underlying lawsuit is being considered in U.S. District Court in North Carolina. A final ruling in it, which would affect all elections going forward, is not expected until at least next year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.