Washington, North Carolina Public Records

The Washington Police Department is responsible for maintaining public records related to law enforcement activities in the city. This includes incident reports, arrest records, and other law enforcement-related documents. Residents can access these records by contacting the police department directly at http://www.washington-nc.com/departments/police.aspx.

Washington residents vote in municipal, county, state, and federal elections administered by the Beaufort County Board of Elections, located at 112 West Second Street, Suite 10, Washington, NC 27889, phone (252) 946-2331, website www.co.beaufort.nc.us/departments/board-of-elections. North Carolina voters can register online at www.ncdot.gov/dmv (through the DMV portal) or at the State Board of Elections website www.ncsbe.gov, or register in person at the county elections office, early voting sites, or DMV offices. The registration deadline is 25 days before any election. North Carolina does not require party registration, though voters may affiliate with a party. Acceptable forms of ID for registration include driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. Washington holds municipal elections for mayor and city council members on a non-partisan basis. Municipal elections are held in odd-numbered years in November, with the next Washington city elections scheduled for November 2025 for mayor and city council seats. City council members serve staggered four-year terms. Information about candidates, campaign finance reports, and local ballot measures can be obtained from the Beaufort County Board of Elections or Washington City Hall. Washington residents can find their assigned polling place using the Precinct Finder tool on the North Carolina State Board of Elections website at vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLkup, or by contacting the Beaufort County Board of Elections. Election records that are public in North Carolina under N.C.G.S. § 163-31 include voter registration lists (with limited personal information redacted), campaign finance reports filed with the State Board of Elections, candidate filing information, precinct-level election results, and absentee ballot statistics. Individual voter history (which elections a person voted in, but not how they voted) is public record. In the November 2024 presidential election, Beaufort County reported approximately 60% voter turnout, with around 26,000 ballots cast from approximately 43,000 registered voters. On November 3, 2026, Washington and Beaufort County voters will decide several significant races: North Carolina does not have a U.S. Senate seat up in 2026, but voters will elect all members of the North Carolina House of Representatives for two-year terms and half of the North Carolina Senate for staggered terms. Washington voters will participate in elections for Beaufort County Board of Commissioners, Beaufort County Sheriff, Register of Deeds, and other county constitutional officers. State judicial elections including District Court and Superior Court judges for Judicial District 2 may also appear on the ballot depending on vacancies and terms. Voters can request absentee ballots in North Carolina through the State Board of Elections online portal, by submitting a written request to the Beaufort County Board of Elections, or by downloading the absentee ballot request form from ncsbe.gov. North Carolina allows no-excuse absentee voting; any registered voter may vote by mail. Absentee ballot requests must be received by the county board of elections no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday before Election Day. Voted absentee ballots must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Election Day to be counted (postmark is not sufficient). North Carolina offers early voting at multiple sites in Beaufort County typically beginning 17 days before Election Day and ending the Saturday before Election Day, with specific early voting locations and hours published by the county board of elections approximately 60 days before each election.