Strong Voter Turnout in North Carolina’s Early Voting Period
North Carolina has witnessed an impressive turnout during its early voting period, which concluded on Saturday. The number of voters participating in early voting surpassed those from both last year’s midterms and the upcoming 2024 presidential primary.
Michael Bitzer, a political scientist at Catawba College, noted that while the competitive Republican U.S. Senate primary was anticipated to rally the GOP base, it was actually Democratic voters who showed up in greater numbers across the state.
“It seems to me that there’s something going on on the Democratic side,” Bitzer commented. “Maybe it’s energy or enthusiasm, that kind of meets the national dynamics that we’re seeing in other states that could potentially set up an interesting midterm election come November.”
In urban regions like Forsyth and Guilford counties, approximately 75% of early voters opted for Democratic ballots, a trend that Bitzer attributes to the urban setting.
The focus now shifts to whether Republicans can close the gap as Election Day approaches and the polls officially open.
