Aurora, North Carolina Public Records

Registration must be completed 25 days before any election, though the state offers same-day registration during early voting. Voters need to provide their name, residential address, date of birth, and either a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Municipal elections in town are non-partisan affairs for mayor and town council seats. These elections occur in odd-numbered years, with the most recent in November 2023 and the next scheduled for November 2025. The mayor and five town commissioners serve two-year staggered terms. Information about local candidates and ballot issues is available through the Town Clerk at Town Hall (252-322-4400) and the Beaufort County Board of Elections. Residents can locate their assigned polling place using the North Carolina Voter Search tool at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup, which requires entering a name and date of birth or county and registration number. The search tool displays current registration status, precinct assignment, polling location with address, and sample ballots before elections. North Carolina provides extensive public access to election records: voter registration lists are available for purchase by campaigns and political committees; campaign finance reports for state and local candidates are searchable online through the State Board of Elections; candidate filing information is public; and precinct-level results are published by the county and state boards after each election. In the November 2024 presidential election, Beaufort County reported approximately 62% voter turnout with roughly 29,000 ballots cast from about 47,000 registered voters, reflecting strong participation in a competitive election year. The November 3, 2026 general election will be critical for local voters, who will decide races for the U.S. House of Representatives (North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District), the North Carolina General Assembly (State Senate and State House districts), and Beaufort County offices including County Commissioners, Sheriff, Register of Deeds, and Board of Education seats. North Carolina does not have U.S. Senate or gubernatorial races scheduled for 2026, as those occur in presidential years. Municipal offices in Aurora are not on the ballot in even-numbered years. North Carolina voters can request absentee ballots through the county Board of Elections beginning 60 days before an election; applications are available online at www.ncsbe.gov or by contacting the Beaufort County Board of Elections. Absentee ballots can be requested for reasons including absence from the county on Election Day, illness or disability, or simply preferring to vote by mail (the state allows no-excuse absentee voting). Completed absentee ballots must be returned by mail or in person to the county Board of Elections by 7:30 PM on Election Day. The state also offers an extensive early voting period (typically 17 days including weekends) at designated early voting sites announced by the county Board of Elections before each election.