Does all voting happen on Election Day? Think again

Election officials begin mailing ballots Sept. 9 to any registered voter in North Carolina who formally requested one.

Republicans historically have favored mail-in ballots and could be critical to who gets the state's 15 electoral votes.

Voters, civil rights groups and the U.S. Justice Department sued, and last month a federal appeals court struck down the photo ID mandate and ordered early voting restored to 17 days.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has said that elements of that overturned voter ID law heighten the possibility for a "rigged" election.

While more days are now required for early voting, local election boards — each with Republican majorities — are considering whether to cut back the number of early voting sites or hours.

Three states — Oregon, Washington and Colorado — mail ballots to all registered voters, but Washington and Colorado also allow the option of voting early in person.