North Carolina Early Voting Surges 37 Percent

More than 1.7 million residents of North Carolina cast early ballots for the November 2026 general election as of October 27. According to data from the North Carolina State Board of Elections, this represents a nearly 37% increase in turnout compared to the same period during the 2022 general election.

Democrats currently hold the largest share of early voters at nearly 41%, followed by unaffiliated voters at 35% and Republicans at 24%. In-person early voting remains open through October 31.

Regional turnout varies across the state. Mecklenburg County recorded the highest volume with over 152,000 ballots cast. In western North Carolina, Buncombe County leads the region with more than 63,000 early ballots.