- “The 2026 primary will have one more college and university site than the 2022 primary,” wrote Dr. Chris Cooper of Western Carolina University.
In-person early voting for North Carolina’s 2026 primary election kicked off Thursday at 319 early voting sites statewide, a 6% increase from 301 sites in the May 2022 primary, according to an analysis of early voting sites conducted by the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor (NCOSA).
The increase also represents an increase from 45,512 hours to 48,048 hours for the March 2026 primary. Additionally, the total number of weekend early voting hours increased from 4,610 to 4,679, or a 1.5% increase.
Boliek: more early voting sites on college campuses
State Auditor Dave Boliek said in a press release that separate reporting from independent researchers and news organizations shows that there will be more on-campus early voting sites this year compared to the May 2022 primary.
“The 2026 primary will have one more college and university site than the 2022 primary,” wrote Dr. Chris Cooper, Western Carolina University. “When counting community colleges, there will be 10 on-campus early voting sites this year, compared to nine in 2022,” according to an article in the News & Observer.
There has been some controversy with early voting on college campuses.
The College Democrats of North Carolina and four individual students, working with Democratic operative Marc Elias’ law firm, sought to have early voting sites added to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, North Carolina A&T State University, and Western Carolina University.
The group filed a lawsuit to have those sites added after the State Board adopted its plans on Jan. 13, not to have early voting sites added there.
A federal judge has denied the College Democrats’ request for an injunction that would mandate early voting sites on three North Carolina public university campuses. An injunction “would risk causing voter confusion,” according to a court order issued Sunday.
Andy Jackson, director of the John Locke Foundation’s Civitas Center for Public Integrity, responded to the students’ complaint in a Carolina Journal column.
“First, it is important to note that, despite reports of early voting sites being ‘axed,’ North Carolina will have more sites for 2026 (319) than for the last midterm primary in 2022 (301),” Jackson wrote.
“Why close any site at all?” Jackson asked. “Early voting sites cost county election boards money. While there is disagreement about the exact amount, both Democrats and Republicans on the Jackson County Board of Elections agree that they would save between $6,000 and $20,000 by operating four sites instead of five. Operating four sites instead of five would also allow election officials to avoid spreading their staff too thin. Jackson County board members have also expressed concern about access to the WCU site for voters not affiliated with the university.”
Seventeen counties in all increased the number of early voting sites from 2022 to 2026.
Counties that increased the number of sites to 27 in 2026 include: Alamance, Bertie, Bladen, Buncombe, Forsyth, Guilford, Harnett, Hertford, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Orange, Pitt, Sampson, Union, Wake, Wayne, and Wilson.
“North Carolina County Boards of Elections and the State Board of Elections have expanded voter access for the 2026 primary election,” Boliek said in the press release. “Keeping voting accessible to all eligible voters while not budging on security and election integrity is key to conducting secure and fair elections. I encourage everyone who is eligible to go out and cast their vote.”
Seven counties, however, decreased the number of sites, resulting in a total of nine sites dropped, including Jackson, Lenoir, Lincoln, Madison, Nash, New Hanover, and Stanly.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) said in a press release that early voting is especially popular in North Carolina general elections, but it is also used by many primary voters. In 2022, 59% of primary voters cast ballots on Election Day, 39% during early voting, and 2% by mail.
The NCSBE has some tips for early voters, including:
- To find early voting locations in all 100 counties, you can use their Early Voting Sites Search tool, and check out Early Voting Sites for the March 3, 2026, Primary Election (PDF).
- Sample ballots for the primary can be found through the Voter Search tool.
- In a partisan primary, voters affiliated with a political party may only vote for their party’s ballot and may not vote in another party’s primary. For example, a registered Democrat may only vote in the Democratic Party primary, regardless of whether the party you are affiliated with doesn’t have a primary. Unaffiliated voters may choose any one political party’s ballot or a nonpartisan ballot, if available in their jurisdiction.
- Individuals who missed the regular voter registration deadline on February 6 may register and vote at the same time during the early voting period. Proof of residency must be provided, such as a driver’s license or other government-issued ID, a paycheck, a utility bill, or a bank statement that lists their current name and residential address. For more information, visit Register in Person During Early Voting.
- A person may update their name or address within the same county when they check in to vote at an early voting site if necessary. Party affiliation can’t be changed at an early voting site during a primary election.
- Bring a photo ID, whether it is a driver’s license or some other form of photo ID. Voters who do not have a photo ID can meet the photo ID requirement by either filling out a form explaining why they are unable to show ID, or showing their ID at the county board of elections office by noon on March 6. More information about the photo ID requirement is available at BringItNC.gov.
- Any registered voter who needs a photo ID can get one for free from their county board of elections office during the early voting period. For details, go to Get a Free Voter Photo ID.
- Voters in need of assistance may bring an eligible person to help them enter and exit the polling place or to help them complete their ballot according to the voter’s instructions. Election officials are also available to help voters. Curbside voting is also available for voters unable to enter the voting site. For more information, visit Curbside Voting.
- No ballot selfies. North Carolina law prohibits photographing or videotaping voted ballots. Voters may use electronic devices in the voting booth to access a slate card or candidate information, as long as they don’t use the devices to communicate with anyone or take photographs of their voted ballot.
- Finally, the state board asks that all voters respect the rights of others to participate in the election. Voter intimidation is a crime. Any voter who feels harassed or intimidated should notify an election official immediately. For more information about early voting, please visit Vote Early in Person.
Early voting ends Feb. 28 at 3 pm in all 100 counties.