Politics
North Carolina early voting surges, with Democrats leading GOP ballots 2-to-1
By Oct. 18, North Carolina had recorded nearly 143,000 more ballots than at the same point in the 2022 midterms. Democrats accounted for 240,206 ballots, compared with 102,845 cast by Republicans, though early voting totals do not show how anyone voted.
North Carolina voters have cast ballots in the 2026 midterms at a pace well above the 2022 election, with registered Democrats casting more than twice as many early ballots as registered Republicans through Oct. 18.
Statewide turnout is up 37% from the same point in the last midterm cycle, with nearly 143,000 additional ballots cast. Democrats accounted for 240,206 ballots, compared with 102,845 from Republicans. Unaffiliated voters made up about 35% of ballots, while Democrats accounted for 46% and Republicans 20%.
The Republican share was closer to 30% around the same point in 2022, according to the figures. Early voting data tracks participation, not candidates’ support, and cannot predict how the votes will be distributed on Election Day.
Wake County led the state with 73,586 ballots cast. Mecklenburg County recorded 58,714.
Women accounted for 52% of ballots statewide. Turnout among registered Black voters was nearly 8%, up from about 5% at a comparable point in 2022; registered white voter turnout was 7%, compared with 6% in 2022.
The participation figures come as Democrats target North Carolina’s U.S. Senate seat as part of their effort to win control of the chamber. Former Gov. Roy Cooper is the party’s Senate candidate, and Democrats hope voter enthusiasm in the race will also benefit candidates lower on the ballot.
The early-voting pace may also reflect the parties’ competing expectations about the midterms. Democrats are looking to capitalize on dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump, while lower engagement among Republicans is a concern for the GOP. The turnout numbers alone do not establish what is driving individual voters to the polls or how they will vote.