Politics
North Carolina reports 501,000 early ballots, well above 2022 mark
More than half a million ballots had been cast statewide by Sunday morning, about 38% more than at the same point in the 2022 general election. In-person early voting accounted for most of the ballots so far.
North Carolina voters had cast 501,321 ballots by Sunday morning, including 461,048 in person, according to state election data reported Monday. The statewide total was about 38% higher than at the same point in the 2022 general election, when 362,643 ballots had been submitted.
In-person voting has grown faster: the current count is about 51% above the 304,920 in-person ballots recorded at the comparable point four years ago. The latest statewide figures include in-person early votes and absentee ballots.
In the Charlotte region, reported totals as of Oct. 17 included 51,645 ballots in Mecklenburg County, 11,400 in Union County, 10,046 in Gaston County and 9,795 in Cabarrus County. Those county counts also include both in-person and absentee voting.
Voters interviewed in Charlotte welcomed the turnout. West Charlotte voter Pamela Shropshire said seeing more people participate made her feel encouraged, while Myers Park voter Arjun Nag said showing up to make a choice matters.
State figures showed Democrats accounted for 45.36% of ballots cast so far, unaffiliated voters 34.36% and Republicans 20.08%. Smaller shares were recorded for Libertarian and Green voters. These are participation figures, not election results, and do not establish how voters cast their ballots.
Among voters whose demographic information was recorded, 52.16% were listed as female and 42.93% as male, with 4.91% undesignated. The reported racial breakdown was 66.37% White, 22.80% Black and 10.83% other. The figures are an early snapshot of participation and may change as voting continues.