NORTH CAROLINA — Over 353,000 voters in North Carolina cast ballots during the first day of early voting, marking a turnout record for the state.
NC State Board of Elections recorded 353,166 ballots were submitted Thursday, 1.3% more than their previous record. The previous record was set in 2020 with 348,559 voters submitting ballots.
Watch: NC officials say early voting will still begin on Oct. 17 in every county
“Yesterday’s turnout is a clear sign that voters are energized about this election, that they trust the elections process, and that a hurricane will not stop North Carolinians from exercising their right to vote,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Let’s keep it rolling, North Carolina.”
As of Friday the number of ballots submitted in North Carolina has climbed to 428,299, including 75,133 absentee ballots, says the Board of Elections.
Watch: Currituck and Dare County elections officials prepare for start of early voting
The Board of Elections has some tips for registered voters interested in doing early voting:
- Early voting locations. Eligible voters may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county. For sites and hours in all 100 counties, use the Early Voting Sites Search tool. Also see Early Voting Sites for the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election (PDF).
- Candidate info. Sample ballots are available through the Voter Search tool. For information on candidates for the state Supreme Court and Court of Appeals, see the State Board’s Judicial Voter Guide: 2024 General Election. The State Board does not provide information on candidate positions other than the judicial voter guide, but there are many media and other sources for that information.
- Bring your photo ID. Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they check in to vote. Most voters will show their driver’s license, but many other forms of photo ID will be accepted. Voters who do not have photo ID can meet the photo ID requirement by either (1) filling out a form explaining why they are unable to show ID, or (2) showing their ID at the county board of elections office by 5 p.m. Nov. 14. More information about the photo ID requirement is available at BringItNC.gov.
