North Carolina absentee voting declines ahead of 2026 midterms

Data from the North Carolina Board of Elections indicates a decline in absentee voting for the 2026 midterm elections compared to the 2022 cycle. As of October 7, 2026—exactly 27 days before Election Day—a total of 24,005 absentee ballots had been returned, representing a 16.3 percent decrease from the 28,685 ballots returned during the same period in 2022.

The decline varies by political affiliation. According to data analyzed by the University of Florida Election Lab, Democratic absentee ballots saw a 25.7 percent drop, with 10,822 ballots returned compared to 14,569 in 2022. Republican absentee voting also decreased, falling 15.7 percent to 3,929 ballots compared to 4,662 in 2022. The decline among unaffiliated voters was reported as minimal.