North Carolina early voting turnout exceeds 237,000 votes

Early voting for the midterm elections in North Carolina has seen significant participation, with over 237,000 votes cast as of October 16. This total includes 201,609 in-person early votes and 35,932 accepted mail-in ballots. This figure represents approximately 3% of the state's 7.88 million registered voters, marking an 18% increase in turnout compared to the same period during the 2022 elections.

Election monitoring organizations reported various challenges during the initial voting period. Democracy North Carolina and North Carolina Asian Americans Together received nearly 200 calls regarding issues such as long lines, transportation difficulties, problems with drive-through voting, and reports of aggressive campaigning or private surveillance. Volunteers have been deployed across 64 counties to assist voters.

Early voting in North Carolina is scheduled to continue until 3:00 pm on Saturday, October 31, ahead of the general election on Tuesday, November 3.