North Carolina, Voter Registers and Certificates of Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of voting registers for Orange, Beaufort and Chatham Counties in North Carolina for years 1868-1898. Microfilm of original records at the State Archives of North Carolina in Raleigh, North Carolina.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Name
 * Age
 * Occupation
 * Place of birth
 * Race

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of ancestor
 * The approximate birth date
 * The place of residence

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information found in the voter registration to look for death records
 * Use the information in the voter registration record to to look for civil birth and death records
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * Use the occupations listed to find employment records or other types of records such as military records
 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames
 * Check for a different index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties
 * Consult the North Carolina Record Finder to find other records

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of North Carolina.
 * North Carolina Guided Research
 * North Carolina Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.