Early voting for the 2026 General Election is less than a month away. Cabarrus County has announced four early voting locations where registered voters can cast a ballot ahead of Election Day, along with the full schedule of dates and hours.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Early voting allows registered voters to cast a ballot at any designated early voting site in the county on select days before Election Day. The key difference is that on Election Day, voters must cast their ballot at their assigned precinct.

Each early voting site is equipped with all ballot styles for the election, meaning voters don’t need to worry about which specific site serves their neighborhood.

Early voting also offers same-day registration: voters may register and cast a ballot in the same visit, as long as they provide sufficient proof of name and address. Voters who need to update their name or address on file can also do so at any early voting site during this period.

All voters at early voting sites will be asked to show photo ID, just as they would on Election Day.

Early voting for the 2026 General Election will take place at the following four sites:

• Cabarrus EMS HQ Station 9 — 793 Cabarrus Ave. W., Concord, NC 28025
• Afton Ridge Active Living Center & Library — 6095 Glen Afton Blvd., Kannapolis, NC 28027
• Cabarrus Arena and Events Center — 4751 NC Hwy 49, Concord, NC 28025
• Rowan-Cabarrus Community College at the NC Research Campus — 399 Biotechnology Ln., Kannapolis, NC 28081

Please note: The Cabarrus County Board of Elections office is not an early voting site this year.

Early voting will run on the following schedule at all four sites:

• Thursday, Oct. 15 – Friday, Oct. 16 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 17 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 19 – Friday, Oct. 23 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 24 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Monday, Oct. 26 – Friday, Oct. 30 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 31 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Early voting sites are closed on Sundays throughout the period.

Because the Afton Ridge Active Living Center and Library is serving as an early voting site, it will adjust its regular hours and services from Monday, Oct. 12 through Saturday, Oct. 31 to accommodate voting operations.

Here’s what patrons should know:

• The facility will open at 8 a.m. Monday through Thursday
• Hours may extend beyond posted times if voters are still in line at closing.
• The facility will be closed for regular library and Active Living Center services on Fridays and Saturdays due to early voting.
• Hours may change based on early voting demand.
• The fitness center and game room will remain open for walk-ins Monday through Thursday only.
• No fitness or recreational programs will be offered at the Afton Ridge location during this period.
• All Library & Active Living Center programming normally held at Afton is moving to Frank Liske Park for the duration of early voting.

Regular patrons of the Afton Ridge facility should plan accordingly and expect adjusted access throughout the early voting window.

With four convenient locations and same-day registration available, early voting offers Cabarrus County residents a flexible alternative to waiting until Election Day. Voters are encouraged to bring photo ID, choose the site most convenient for them, and check the schedule above closely, as hours vary by day and week.

For additional election details, including voter registration status, sample ballots, and polling information, visit the Cabarrus County Board of Elections website.