Voters line up outside the Durham Main Library on Saturday in the last hour of early voting. (Photo: Lynn Bonner)
By the time early voting ended Saturday afternoon, a record 4.2 million people, or 54% of voters had cast ballots in person.
The early vote turnout had last week passed the 2020 mark, when 3.6 million people, or 49% of voters, cast ballots in person before Election Day.
State Election Director Karen Brinson Bell announced last Friday that the state had broken the 2020 early voting record.
With absentee ballots included, 57% of the state’s 7.8 million registered voters have cast ballots for the general election.
Voters in the 25 Helene disaster counties in western North Carolina turned out in droves. Their average in-person turnout, at 56%, was higher than the statewide average.
“I am proud of all of our 100 county boards of elections and the thousands of election workers who are making this happen in their communities,” Brinson Bell said in a news release. “And I am especially proud of the workers and voters of western North Carolina. You are an inspiration to us all.”
The presidential campaigns are making their final pitches to North Carolina voters. Former President Donald Trump has a rally at Dorton Arena in Raleigh this morning. He was in Gastonia and Greensboro on Saturday, and Kinston on Sunday.
Vice President Kamala Harris held a rally in Charlotte on Saturday.
In the early voting period, voters are able to go to any specially designated site in their county. For Election Day, voters should go to their assigned polling place. Voters can find their designated polling location here.
Mail-in absentee ballots must be at county elections offices by 7:30 pm on Election Day.