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- calendar_today October 19, 2026
Record Early Voting Turnout in North Carolina
North Carolina experienced a dramatic increase in early voting participation on the first day of the 2026 cycle, as over 200,000 residents cast ballots. The North Carolina State Board of Elections reported that 201,609 people voted in person on Thursday, marking a 47% rise compared to the 137,387 who voted on the first day of early voting during the 2022 midterm elections.
Democratic Turnout Drives Increase
The surge in early voting was primarily driven by Democratic voters. Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University, emphasized, “It tells us that people are excited. And if you dig a little bit more into the data, who’s excited? Democrats are excited. So registered Democratic turnout is the driver of that change. Registered Republican turnout is actually down compared to the same day in 2022.”
The increase in turnout was widespread, with 94 of North Carolina’s 100 counties reporting higher first-day early voting numbers than two years ago.
Breakdown of Voter Turnout So Far
Including absentee ballots, data from the State Board of Elections shows that 111,482 Democrats have voted so far, outnumbering 46,341 Republicans and 79,716 unaffiliated voters. This means Democrats currently outpace Republicans by more than a two-to-one margin among ballots cast early.
However, Cooper cautioned against predicting the outcome based solely on early voting figures, noting that “historically, Republicans have been more likely to vote on Election Day, while Democrats have favored voting early or by mail.” He added, “Is that going to be a sign that Republicans are more likely to choose Election Day? Perhaps. Is it a sign they’ll show up later in the early voting period? Perhaps.”
Absentee Voting Declines
While early in-person voting is strong, absentee voting has declined. The state board reported that voting by mail is down about 31% compared to the same point in 2022. "Out of every six ballots that have been cast so far, five have been done yesterday during in-person voting," Cooper noted, highlighting the shift away from mail-in ballots this election cycle.
Democrats Hold Fundraising Edge in Key Political Campaigns
The momentum among Democratic voters also extends to campaign fundraising. Recently released third-quarter filings with the Federal Election Commission reveal Democrats are outraising Republicans in two of North Carolina’s most closely watched races. In the U.S. Senate race, Democrat Roy Cooper raised $19.5 million between July and September, while Republican Michael Whatley reported $4.2 million in contributions.
In North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, incumbent Rep. Don Davis (D) collected $1.4 million during the third quarter, surpassing Republican challenger Laurie Buckhout’s $954,000. Davis commented on the impact of fundraising, stating, “Those investments [are] how we’re able to, in these final weeks and these final days, to get our message out.”
The contest between Davis and Buckhout is a rematch from 2024, but this time under a redrawn map favoring Republicans. Nevertheless, the Cook Political Report recently reclassified the race from “Lean Republican” to “Toss-Up,” with Davis describing it as “one of the most competitive, if not the most competitive race in the nation.” CBS 17 reached out to the Buckhout campaign for comment.
Looking Ahead to Election Day
Despite the early signs favoring Democrats, political analysts note that traditional Election Day voting habits, particularly among Republicans, could shift the final results. Early voting is set to continue in North Carolina through October 31.
Source: cbs17.com.
