ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — About 5,400 Buncombe County voters recently received letters from the North Carolina State Board of Elections encouraging them to update their voter registration information as part of an effort to maintain accurate voter rolls.

The letters, sent on behalf of the Buncombe County Board of Elections, ask recipients to provide or confirm identifying information, such as a driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.

Election officials said receiving the letter does not affect a voter’s registration status or eligibility. The request is voluntary, and voters who do not respond will still be able to cast a regular ballot if they are otherwise eligible.

According to the State Board, the mailings are part of an ongoing identification validation process designed to ensure voter records are accurate and up to date. Officials said accurate information helps poll workers more easily locate voter records at polling places and supports routine list maintenance.

Voters may have received the letter if the identification number they provided at registration did not match information in other government databases. Common causes include spelling differences, missing hyphens or apostrophes, use of a prior legal name, typographical errors, transposed numbers in a birth date, or information entered into the wrong field. In some cases, data requirements at the time of registration differed from current standards.

In a statement posted on its website, the State Board said the registrations in question comply with state law and are complete, but voters are encouraged to update their records to improve accuracy. The agency emphasized that the effort does not affect voter eligibility.

Voters who receive a letter have several options to update their information:

  • By mail: Complete the form included with the letter and return it in the pre-addressed, postage-paid envelope provided.
  • Online: Voters with a North Carolina driver’s license or NCDMV identification card may submit an updated voter registration form through the NCDMV secure website. There is no fee for the service.
  • In person: Visit Buncombe County Election Services at 35 Woodfin St. in Asheville or update information at a polling place when voting.

If a voter who received a letter has not responded by Election Day, a poll worker may ask whether they would like to provide a driver’s license or Social Security number to attempt another validation. Providing the information is voluntary, and voters who decline may still cast a regular ballot unless required to vote provisionally for another reason.

Beginning in 2026, the State Board plans to send similar mailings each January and August to voters with unvalidated identification information as part of its routine voter roll maintenance process.

Voters with questions may contact Buncombe County Election Services at 828-250-4200 or click here for more information.