Polls officially closed at 7:30 p.m. on March 5 and the counting of votes began statewide in North Carolina’ primary election. More than 1.5 million North Carolinians cast their ballots in 2,600 polling sites across the state on Tuesday or voted early.
North Carolina was among 15 other states and one territory that held primaries on Super Tuesday. At most polling sites Carolina Public Press visited, voter turnout was light, but consistent and picked up throughout the day.
Carolina Public Press interviewed voters and election officials in six N.C. counties: Orange, Chatham, Person, Durham, Wake and Harnett counties. The voting process was smooth and quick at most of the polling sites with few lines or delays. No major issues have been reported yet.
The 2024 primary was also the first major election with several election law changes implemented, such as the voter I.D. law and changes to early vote counting.
Due to changes to state law, the results of in-person early voting was released slightly later than in previous elections on March 5, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections.
Some challenges, no major issues reported
Some minor disruptions, such power outages, tabulator issues, printer jams or longer lines at some sites could be possible and would not be indicative of malicious activity, according to a press release issued by the State Board.
While it was the first major election with voter I.D. implementation, most voters in the six counties said they were surprised at how quick voting was even with the new requirement.
Some voters, however, expressed their frustration at having to present a voter I.D. altogether.
“A voter was very upset about having to provide a photo I.D. to vote,” said Joy Carraciolo, 31, who voted at Bethesda Elementary School in Durham County.
Some reports emerged of voters going to vote at the wrong precincts and being redirected to vote elsewhere. Carolina Public Press observed this at two polling sites in Durham County where several voters came to the wrong precinct and in Lillington in Harnett County, where two voters who came together to vote ended up at the wrong precinct.
A few issues emerged that were clearly local challenges.
For instance, at a new precinct located off U.S. 15-501 between Chapel Hill and Pittsboro at the Chatham Health Sciences Center, an unusually long line emerged to wind through the hallways and out the door around midday.
The area has simply grown in population faster than the new precinct could handle.
Most voters said the process was smooth
While many voters were concerned about the changes to the voting process, very few reported any issues during voting on Tuesday. Many voters said the entire process took them between four to seven minutes even with the new requirements.
Kyle Long, 36, a mechanical engineer in Hurdle Mills voted at the Old Bushy Fork School voting site in Person County. Long said he did not experience much of a change when he went to vote.
“I never waited in the lines before and didn’t wait this time,” said Long. “It was smooth.”
In some areas, election day was lighter because most people in the area voted early, as was the case at Lillington Community Center in Harnett County, according to Chief Judge Susan Davis.
Benjamin S. Gault III, 67, a voter at the Old Bushy Fork School in Hurdle Mills in Person County, said the process was quick and easy, but voter I.D.s should’ve been implemented sooner.
“I think the voting process hasn’t been as secure in recent years and there has been some fraud,” he said.
“It’s weird to have to use a voter I.D., but it was fast and smooth and the poll workers are great,” said George O’Neal, 42, a farmer who voted at the Old Helena School polling site in Timberlake in Person County.
But, he said, “it’s wrong and an infringement and I don’t need an I.D. to get a gun, but I do need one to vote.”
Noyah King, 28, a freelance digital consultant and substitute teacher in Durham, said she was very nervous that she would be turned away at the polls since she hadn’t registered prior to election day when she arrived at Bethesda Elementary School in Durham County.
“I had to cast a provisional ballot and the process was very smooth,” she said. She was assured that her provisional ballot would count.
Editor’s note: Grace Vitaglione and Frank Taylor also contributed to this report.
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