This article was originally published by NC Newsline.
Students from three universities in North Carolina, along with the College Democrats of North Carolina, have initiated a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections. The lawsuit challenges the absence of early voting locations on college campuses for the upcoming 2026 primary elections.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court, claims that the board’s decision unlawfully limits students’ voting rights due to their age. Plaintiffs include students from N.C. A&T State University, UNC-Greensboro, and Western Carolina University. Additionally, board members from Guilford and Jackson counties are named as defendants.
N.C. A&T, recognized as the largest historically Black college in the country, is a focal point in the lawsuit. The legal filing highlights that in 2024, the polling station at Western Carolina served more Black voters than any other location in Jackson County.
The lawsuit asserts that “State and county officials brushed aside urgent warnings that their decisions would disproportionately burden young and Black voters and denigrated students who advocated for their rights.” Despite these claims, state board spokesperson Pat Gannon declined to comment on the ongoing litigation.
During a January 2025 meeting, the state board’s Republican majority decided against maintaining voting sites at Western Carolina University and Elon University. They also dismissed proposals to establish polling stations at N.C. A&T and UNC-G. Although A&T students protested at the meeting, they were not permitted to speak.
The elimination of the Western Carolina polling site means students without access to transportation must travel nearly two miles, partly along a four-lane highway, to vote. Jackson County Elections Board Chairman Bill Thompson justified the decision by citing limited parking on campus and the proximity of existing voting sites.
Supporting the state board’s plan, Guilford County Elections Board members noted it aligns with early voting strategies used in previous midterm primaries from 2010 through 2022. Although the plan introduces two additional locations, none are situated on college campuses.
State Board Chairman Francis De Luca expressed a preference for non-campus voting sites, citing parking challenges as a primary concern.
The early voting period for the primary election is scheduled to run from February 12 to February 28.
