RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina had already surpassed its early voting record in 2020, but the State Board of Elections announced Sunday that more than 4.2 million voters cast ballots at early in-person voting locations, with turnout in western counties hit by Hurricane Helene surpassed the rest. of the state.
Early in-person voting, which ended Saturday, has become increasingly popular in the presidential state over several election cycles. People can register to vote and cast their ballots at early voting sites at the same time.
Four years ago, a record 3.63 million people voted during the early voting period at hundreds of locations in all 100 counties. This year the state exceeded this total on Thursdaydays before the period ended, the board said.
Including absentee voting, 4,465,548 voters — or 57% of the state’s 7.8 million registered voters — cast ballots in the general election as of Sunday morning, officials said, noting that turnout was slightly higher could be due to a delay between the time the votes are cast and the time the votes are cast. data is uploaded.
Turnout in the 25 western counties hit by Hurricane Helene was stronger than the rest of the state at 58.9% — about 2% higher than turnout statewide, officials said.
“I am proud of all of our 100 county election boards and the thousands of election workers who make this possible in their communities,” state board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement. “And I am especially proud of the workers and voters of Western North Carolina. You are an inspiration to us all.”
This year’s strong early turnout is partly the result of an effort by state and national Republicans to get people voting early. Their message is in stark contrast to the 2020 election, when former President Donald Trump — without any evidence to support the claim — said mail-in voting was rife with fraud.
In addition to the president, North Carolina residents elect a new governor, attorney general and several other statewide positions, along with members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the state’s General Assembly.