North Carolina student voting access protests

Students at several North Carolina universities, including North Carolina A&T State University, UNC Greensboro, Bennett College, Western Carolina University, and Elon University, organized marches to local polling sites following decisions by election boards to remove on-campus early voting locations.

Protesters reported that the removal of these sites created significant hurdles, such as two-hour round trips, for students lacking reliable transportation. At NC A&T, students marched approximately 45 minutes to Union Square in Greensboro. Similar accessibility concerns were raised at NC State University, where the Wake County Board of Elections moved a campus site to a location roughly one mile away, citing improved parking access. Students and advocates expressed concern that these changes would decrease voter turnout.

In response to the removal of polling locations, university Democrats initiated legal action against the state election board. They cited concerns that students without vehicles would be forced to walk along highways without sidewalks to reach voting sites.

Community efforts have also emerged to support access, such as the “Run or Walk to the Polls” initiative coordinated by Casa Azul de Wilson. These community walks coincided with a notable increase in early voting among Latino residents, with the number of voters using in-person or mail-in ballots nearly tripling compared to the same period in 2022.