Registration for the 2026 State of the County event—which will be held on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills—opens on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. This popular event is expected to sell out quickly as seating is limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged! 

Doors open for seating at 8 a.m., and Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. “Bob” Woodard Sr. will deliver the annual State of the County presentation beginning at 8:45 a.m. Tickets are $10 per person, which includes a buffet breakfast that will open at 8:15 a.m.

For those who are unable to attend in person on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, a video of Chairman Woodard’s presentation will be made available on Dare County's YouTube channel in the days following the event. For more information and to register online, please visit DareNC.gov/SOC or click the button below.

The Dare County Board of Commissioners meeting scheduled for 9 a.m. on Monday, February 2, 2026 has been postponed and will be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, February 12, 2026. The meeting will take place in the commissioners meeting room, which is adjacent to the Dare County Administration Building located at 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive in Manteo.

Click here to view the agenda packet for the Thursday, February 12, 2026 meeting when it is posted.

Early Voting for the 2026 Primary Election—which will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026—begins on Thursday, February 12, 2026 and will continue through Saturday, February 28, 2026.* Unlike on Election Day, (when voters must vote at their assigned precinct), early voting allows registered voters to cast their ballot at one of three convenient early voting sites located throughout Dare County.

2026 Primary Election Early Voting Locations:

Dare County Administration Building (954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, Manteo, NC)
Kill Devil Hills Town Hall (102 Town Hall Drive, Kill Devil Hills, NC)
Fessenden Center Annex (47017 Buxton Back Road, Buxton, NC)

*Schedule for 2026 Primary Election Early Voting:

• Thursday, February 12, 2026 and Friday, February 13, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Monday, February 16, 2026 to Friday, February 27, 2026 (Mondays through Fridays only) from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, February 28, 2026 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Don't miss the opportunity to make your voice heard by casting your vote for the 2026 Primary Election during the early voting period!

Reminder: On Primary Election Day (Tuesday, March 3, 2026), voters must cast their ballot at their assigned precinct. Precincts in Dare County will be open on Tuesday, March 3, 2026 from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Click here to find your assigned polling location. 

For more information—including candidate information, sample ballots and current North Carolina photo I.D. requirements—please visit DareNC.gov/Elections. Questions? Contact the Dare County Board of Elections office at 252-475-5630 or Elections@DareNC.gov.  

Dare County Emergency Management has announced that the 2026 Dare County reentry permits are now available online at DareNC.gov/Reentry. All residents, non-resident property owners and local business owners are encouraged to visit the site to review reentry requirements/priorities and to submit their reentry permit application for 2026.

To enter Dare County following a mandatory evacuation, everyone must present a current reentry permit or other documents showing they are eligible to reenter. Acceptable documents are outlined for each reentry stage at DareNC.gov/Reentry. To minimize delays at law enforcement-staffed reentry checkpoints, be ready to display your reentry permit, present your acceptable documents and provide a valid corresponding ID when asked. Expired reentry permits from previous years will not be accepted. 

Dare County residents can reenter by presenting a valid North Carolina Driver License/Identification Card issued by the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles or a Voter Registration Card issued by the North Carolina State Board of Elections along with government-issued photo identification that matches the name on the Voter Registration Card. The Driver License, Identification Card or Voter Registration Card must display a Dare County address to gain entry. To expedite movement through reentry checkpoints points, residents can also display a reentry permit.

Reentry permits are issued as a PDF file that is sent via email to applicants with the required credentials and can be obtained via Dare County’s online system at any time. Once issued, reentry permits expire at the end of the calendar year. Individuals who were issued 2025 reentry permits will need to apply for a new reentry permit for the current calendar year. 

For more information, and to obtain a 2026 reentry permit from Dare County Emergency Management, please visit DareNC.gov/Reentry or click the button below. Questions? Contact Dare County Emergency Management Director Drew Pearson at 252-475-5655 or Drew.Pearson@DareNC.gov or Dare County Emergency Planner James Wooten at James.Wooten@DareNC.gov.

Take the plunge for a great cause!

The Dare County Special Olympics invites the public to take part in the organization’s annual OBX Polar Plunge fundraising event beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at Jennette’s Pier, which is located at 7223 S. Virginia Dare Trail in Nags Head. 

Why participate in the Polar Plunge? Individuals with intellectual disabilities encounter adversities daily, and they consistently demonstrate the courage it takes to succeed at many things that don’t come easily. Dare County Special Olympics athletes bravely face challenges on the field, in the pool and on the court—and they are the inspiration for this unique event. The funds raised from the OBX Polar Plunge will provide year-round sports training, competition, leadership opportunities and health services to Special Olympics athletes in our community. Be “brrrr-ave” and register to take the Polar Plunge to show your support!

The schedule of events for the 2026 OBX Polar Plunge will be as follows.

9 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. — Check-in & Registration (All participants must sign a waiver and attain a wristband to plunge, regardless of pre-registration status. Participants may also opt to check in the evening before the event, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, February 27, 2026 at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head). 

11 a.m. — Opening Ceremony & Awards

11:30 a.m. — Polar Plunge Begins! (Due to the large number of registrants, the plunge will take place in six 10-minute rounds.)

All registered plungers will receive a local “I Plunged at Jennette’s Pier” t-shirt and wristband at check-in. Awards will also be presented to Polar Plunge participants in the following categories:

• Best Individual Costume
• Best Team Costume
• Cool Schools Top Team Fundraising Prize
• Largest Plunge Team Award
• Top Individual Fundraiser
• Top Team Fundraiser

The public is invited—and encouraged!—to attend this event on Saturday, February 28, 2026, both as “plungers” or as bystanders to cheer on the brave individuals who plunge into the ocean in support of a great cause. Dare to be bold—jump in or cheer from the shore! Register or donate today at DareNC.gov/PolarPlunge!

Dare County Seeks Input from Unincorporated Areas for Resiliency Strategy

Dare County invites residents, business owners and community stakeholders located within the unincoroporated areas of Dare County to participate in a brief public input survey as part of its resiliency planning under the North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program. The brief survey will help inform the development of a resiliency strategy for unincorporated areas of the county, building on the resilience strategy that was completed for Hatteras Island in 2022.

As a low-lying coastal community, Dare County faces growing challenges from flooding, hurricanes, erosion and sea-level rise. A resilient future means reducing these risks while protecting homes, businesses, infrastructure, natural resources and economic assets that are central to the county’s identity. Resilience is defined by the program as a community’s ability to prevent, withstand, respond to and recover from disruptions caused by natural hazards.

Through funding from the North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program—administered by the N.C. Division of Coastal Management and supported by the N.C. General Assembly and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation—Dare County is assessing vulnerabilities and identifying priority actions to address both short-term and long-term risks. This planning effort provides a roadmap for future investments that strengthen safety, equity and environmental protection.

Community participation is essential to this process. Local experiences and perspectives help ensure the resiliency strategy reflects countywide priorities and positions Dare County to pursue future funding for implementation. Community members in unincorporated Dare County are encouraged to take a few minutes to complete the survey via the link below by the end of March 2026 and help shape a stronger, more resilient future for Dare County. 

Questions? Please contact Dare County Grants and Waterways Administrator Barton Grover at Barton.Grover@DareNC.gov.

CurrentTV is pleased to announce the release of its latest installment in a popular video series designed to showcase various species of wildlife that either call Dare County home year-round or spend time in our area during portions of their migration season: “OBX Wildlife - Tundra Swans.”

In the video, Coastal Studies Institute Assistant Research Professor Dr. Sean Charles shares a wealth of information about this unique species, which typically arrives in coastal North Carolina in November after completing its annual 4,000-mile migration from the Canadian and Alaskan Arctic to spend the winter in local bird-watching hotspots such as the Currituck Sound and Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge.  

Filmed within the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary System—one of the most significant migratory bird habitats in the world—the video explores the Tundra Swan’s extraordinary annual migration and highlights several notable traits and behaviors, including its five-foot wingspan, decades-long lifespan and lifelong pair bonding.

Dr. Charles also explains why coastal North Carolina and the Outer Banks provide an ideal winter habitat for Tundra Swans. Dr. Charles cites the low-salinity, shallow waters which are rich in submerged aquatic vegetation, such as the “duck potato,” an aquatic perennial plant whose potato-like tubers serve as a primary food source for the species. 

To learn more about the Tundra Swan’s annual migration patterns, visit the National Audubon Society’s Bird Migration Explorer Tundra Swan tracker, an interactive online tool that highlights migration routes and conservation challenges faced by 70 individual birds traveling between Arctic breeding grounds and wintering areas in North Carolina and Virginia each year.

To view the video about Tundra Swans in Dare County, please click the button below or visit CurrentTV.org. Be sure to also follow CurrentTV on social media at Facebook.com/CurrentTVOBX and Instagram.com/CurrentTVOBX.

Meet Sadie, our Outer Banks SPCA Pet of the Week! This spunky girl is around a year old and ready to party. Sadie loves people, other dogs and playing with toys. This silly girl loves pretty much everyone and everything. Sadie would do great with an active family who can take her along on all kinds of adventures!

Click here to watch a video produced by Current TV, or stop by the Outer Banks SPCA, (which is located within the Dare County Animal Shelter at 378 Airport Road in Manteo) anytime during the hours listed below for a meet and greet!

Outer Banks SPCA Adoption Hours:

Monday to Friday: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. (closed from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for naptime)
Saturday & Sunday: By appointment only
Phone: 252-475-5620