Early voting ends; North Carolina, 14 others states to vote in primary elections on Tuesday
North Carolina's early, in-person voting period ended at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Polls are open on Election Day (Tuesday, March 5) from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Through Friday, almost 8 percent of registered voters in North Carolina had already cast ballots. That's almost 600,000 ballots or slightly less than the number cast by this point in 2020.
North Carolina voters must bring ID to the polls
This is the first presidential primary where North Carolina voters will be required to show identification.
The simplest way for voters to comply is to show a valid North Carolina driver's license.
There are dozens of valid alternatives for those who license has expired and for those who don't drive.
Many school and college IDs, military or veterans photo ID and tribal enrollment cards with a photo are also accepted forms of identification for voting.
Who is on the ballot? Key races in North Carolina primary election
While the presidential election gets a lot of national notice, North Carolina voters will also make choices for governor, the council of state – the top-level officials who help the governor run the state – and for some judges, Congressional seats and local offices.
In the primary, North Carolina voters get the ballot for the party they are registered with. Republicans vote for Republicans, Democrats vote for Democrats. Those who are registered unaffiliated can choose whether to vote a Republican or Democratic ballot.
Once you choose a party, the ballot varies by location. Based on where you live, you will vote in the national and statewide races and for local seats like county commissioners or school board.
North Carolina presidential primary: Trump, Haley, Biden and 11 Libertarian candidates
There will be eight Republicans, one Democrat and 11 Libertarian presidential candidates on North Carolina primary ballots.
President Joe Biden is seeking to win North Carolina after losing the state to Trump in 2020. Trump is the Republican frontrunner. A recent Meredith Poll shows Trump with a lead lead over Biden. A Trump win in the primary could boost a Republican gubernatorial candidate down ticket.
Ads for Congressional candidates common on North Carolina airwaves
There are currently seven Democrats and seven Republicans representing North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives. New Congressional districts drawn last year are expected to favor Republicans.
The most important primaries to watch in WRAL’s viewing area are the GOP contests for District 1 and District 13.
District 13 currently consists mostly of Johnston County and parts of Wake County. Incumbent Rep. Wiley Nickel, a Democrat, isn’t seeking reelection after state GOP lawmakers redrew the district to become heavily Republican. Whoever wins the Republican primary will be the strong favorite to win in November. There are 14 candidates in that race, none of whom have ever held office before. There’s no Democratic primary because there is only one Democratic candidate: Frank Pierce.
In District 1, which covers most of Northeastern North Carolina from the outskirts of the Triangle to the coast, Democratic Rep. Don Davis is seeking reelection. The area has been represented by a Democrat for decades, but new voting lines make the district a tossup. Davis doesn’t face a primary challenger, nor does Libertarian Party nominee Tom Bailey. The GOP primary is between Sandy Smith and Laurie Buckhout.
U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross faces a challenger in Wake County’s District 2 Democratic primary. There are also three Republicans vying for the seat. The seat is expected to go to a Democrat in November.
North Carolinians will select party candidates for governor, key statewide offices
Statewide races include contested primaries for governor. Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is limited to two terms, so that office is open.
Josh Stein is hoping to continue in Cooper's footsteps. He has thus far taken the same political path – state senator, then attorney general, then a run for governor – and he is the Democratic front-runner. He has consistently led his challengers in opinion polls as well as fundraising.
Stein's closest competition comes from former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Michael Morgan.
Either man would make history by winning in November; Stein as the state’s first Jewish governor or Morgan as the first Black governor.
Three others — Chrelle Booker, a city council member in Tryon; Gary Foxx, the former police chief of Princeville; and Marcus Williams, a Wilmington attorney – are also on the Democratic ballot.
On the Republican side, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson holds a substantial lead in the polls. Robinson, the state's first Black lieutenant governor, would also be the first Black man to lead the state should he win in November.
His competition is Treasurer Dale Folwell and Bill Graham, an attorney and small business owner from Salisbury.
The Libertarian Party also has a primary for governor, between Mike Ross and Shannon Bray.
The rest of the Council of State is also up for election. There are primaries for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, superintendent of public instruction, attorney general, agriculture commissioner, labor commissioner and insurance commissioner.
There is one seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court up for grabs in 2024. Democrat Lora Cubbage is challenging incumbent Allison Riggs. The state court of appeals has a single open seat as well. Chris Freeman will challenge incumbent Hunter Murphy for the Republican nomination.
Further down the ballot, voters will find primaries for state legislature, district courts, and some local races for county commissioner and school board.
