Your Vote Counts!

In Fall 2023 we will vote for who will represent us in town hall, on school boards, and more. It might not feel as big as a presidential election year, but we know local elected officials have significant power to impact the issues we care about. This is especially true for affordable housing, where many important decisions are made at the local level.

This year, the Orange County Affordable Housing Coalition (OCAHC), of which IFC is a member, sent a questionnaire to all Mayoral and Town Council candidates in Chapel Hill and Carrboro to see where they stand on the issues that matter most for affordable housing locally.

There are differences in the positions held by those running for local office, and we wanted to provide you with the OCAHC affordable housing short-form voting guide as well as the full survey responses that provide more context and nuance on each candidate's position.

 6 Easy Steps to Prepare to Vote  

1. If you have not already, register to vote during early voting. You cannot register to vote on Election Day (November 7th). Eligible individuals may register to vote in the county in which they live during the in-person early voting period. After registering, the newly registered voter can immediately vote at that same site. This process is called “same-day registration.” Voters registering during the early voting period must have resided in the county where they are registering for at least 30 days prior to Election Day. Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. A voter attests to their eligibility by completing and signing the North Carolina voter registration application (available in English or Spanish). Registering at an early voting site during the early voting period requires voters to provide proof of residence. Click here for acceptable proof of residence.
   
   
   
   

2. Review your sample ballot to see who is running in your community
   
   Chapel Hill Sample Ballot           Carrboro Sample Ballot          Hillsborough Sample Ballot           
   
                                                                     
   

3. Check out the recording of the Chapel Hill Candidate Forum (below) from September 19, 2023. (co-sponsored by IFC, Community Empowerment Fund, EMPOWERment, Inc., and NEXT Chapel Hill-Carrboro.)
   
   
   
   
   

4. Check out the recording of the Carrboro Candidate Forum (below) from September 21, 2023. (co-sponsored by IFC, Community Empowerment Fund, EMPOWERment, Inc., and NEXT Chapel Hill-Carrboro.)
   
   
   
   
   

5. Familiarize yourself with North Carolina’s new voter ID law, and bring appropriate ID when you vote.

6. Commit to your voting plan

• Who will you go with to vote? On what day and at what time will you vote? Where will you vote? Do you have your id and/or the information required to get registered?

• Vote Early
  Early voting runs for 17 days and ends the Saturday before Election Day. This is a convenient option because there are fewer lines, extra voting locations, and you can register to vote or update your registration onsite. Click here to see Orange County early voting locations and hours.

• Vote on Election Day - Tuesday, November 7
  A reminder that you cannot register to vote on Election Day, and you must vote at your assigned voting location. Click here to look up your Election Day voting location.