(GDN) – Election season is underway and mail-in ballots will begin being sent out to people who’ve requested them. According to WRAL, North Carolina is heading towards the May 17 primary elections.  Sample ballots, which you can use to plan your vote, should be available online this week as well. 

This year’s primaries feature contested elections for the U.S. Senate, multiple congressional districts, much of the North Carolina General Assembly, judicial races including the state Supreme Court and a number of local races, including some municipal races delayed from last year.

If you’re registered with a political party you may only vote in that party’s primary, but if you’re registered as an unaffiliated voter you pick the primary you vote in when you order your ballot, or when you show up to vote in person.

If you want to vote by mail, May 10 will be the last day to request a mail-in ballot, which you can do through the county board of elections or online. You’ll need to provide your full name, date of birth, address and either your driver’s license number, DMV ID number or the last four digits of your social security number.

If you vote by mail you can track your ballot’s status through a service called BallotTrax.  Those who vote in person will not need to show photo ID. North Carolina law requires it, but that law has been challenged in multiple lawsuits and is on hold in the meantime.

If runoffs are needed, those will be held July 26, but a candidate in a crowded race need only top 30% of the vote to win in North Carolina. Primary winners move on to the general elections, which are slated for November. 8th.