2.8 million North Carolinians voted early in 2026 midterms

North Carolina registered voters cast 2,816,821 ballots during the state's early voting period for the 2026 midterm elections. The two-week window ran from Oct. 15 through Oct. 31. This total represents a 35.7% turnout rate among eligible voters in the state.

In-person voting dominated the early period. Approximately 2.7 million of the early ballots were cast at physical locations. More than 92,000 voters used the mail option instead.

Partisan breakdowns show a mixed shift in participation. Registered Democrats submitted more than 1 million early ballots. Registered Republicans submitted over 730,000. Voters registered as unaffiliated cast nearly 1 million ballots during the period.

Compared to the 2022 midterm elections, early voting numbers rose sharply. In 2022, state data recorded around 2.1 million early ballots, a 29% turnout rate. Election data indicates that 4% fewer registered Republicans voted early this year compared to 2022. Unaffiliated voters increased by 5% over the same period.

Election Day is set for Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polling places will operate from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The North Carolina State Board of Elections website currently hosts sample ballots for voter reference.