Wake County sees record early voting turnout in North Carolina

Early voting turnout is surging across North Carolina for the 2026 midterm elections. In Wake County, more than 100,000 ballots were cast within the first six days of the period, marking an unprecedented increase of over 75% compared to the same period in 2022.

Across the state, more than 1.1 million votes have been cast during the first week of early voting. Wake County leads the state in participation, followed by Mecklenburg, Guilford, Durham, and Buncombe counties. College students have shown significant engagement, with high same-day voter registration numbers reported at sites near NC State and North Carolina Central University.

In Rhode Island, over 30,000 voters cast ballots in the first eight days of early voting. While this is 40% lower than the 2024 presidential election period, it represents nearly double the participation seen during the first eight days of the 2022 midterm cycle.