Early voting breaks record in North Carolina primaries

The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) reported that early voting participation in the 2026 primaries saw a significant increase compared to 2022.

According to official data, 701,140 voters cast their ballots during the early voting period, which represents an increase of 25.4% compared to the 2022 midterm primaries, when 559,095 people participated.

If the absentee voting by mailA total of 714,247 voters had already participated by the Monday before the election. Election Day, an increase of 23% compared to the 580,566 votes registered at the same point in the process in 2022.

In some counties, early voting even surpassed the levels of the 2024 primaries, which, according to the Board, demonstrates a strong civic commitment from the state's voters.

Total participation also exceeds 2022 figures

Although some ballots are still being counted, unofficial results indicate that more than 1.5 million voters participated in the 2026 primary, exceeding the 2022 turnout by 5%, when more than 1.4 million people went to the polls.

The process continues: what's next in the count

The State Board reminded voters that no election ends on Election Day. By state and federal law, the subsequent process is designed to ensure that all votes legally cast by eligible voters are accurately counted.

The results reported on election night are unofficial, and could change during the next 10 days, before the official county canvass, scheduled for March 13.

During this period, valid votes can be added and ineligible ballots removed as part of the normal verification process.

Ballots that still need to be counted

Among the outstanding ballots are:

Provisional ballots

They will be counted on Friday, March 6th. Election boards must verify the eligibility of each voter before including these votes in the final count.

Include:

Voters who did not present valid photo identification.
People who completed an identification exception form.
Voters who went to the wrong polling place.
Cases where the name did not appear in the official voting book.

Missing ballots with correctable errors

They will also be counted on March 6, provided that the voter submits the required documentation before noon on that day.

Military and foreign ballots

Ballots sent by military voters or overseas residents that arrive before 5:00 pm on March 12 will be included in the count on March 13.

The county boards will hold public meetings to review these ballots.

Processes that could reduce the count

Some ballots could be removed if:

Formal objections must be filed before March 10.
An audit determines that a voter lost eligibility after casting their vote (for example, death or felony conviction before Election Day).

Mandatory manual audit

State law requires each county to conduct a sample manual audit after every election. Bipartisan teams compare the manual count with the machine results to verify the system's accuracy.

Possible recounts in close races

In very close elections, a recount may be carried out.

A candidate can request it if:

In state contests, the difference is 0.5% or less (or 10,000 votes, whichever is less).
In non-state contests, the difference is 1% or less.

Applications must be submitted in writing before the established deadlines (March 16 or 17, depending on the type of contest).

Final certification

The process will culminate with the official certification of results by the county election boards on March 13, followed by state certification on March 25.

La State Board He reiterated that all these steps are part of the normal procedure to ensure transparent and accurate elections.

Early voting breaks record in North Carolina primaries

Total participation also exceeds 2022 figures

The process continues: what's next in the count