N.C. early voting surpasses 1 million ballots
Data released Sunday by the State Board of Elections shows 1,078,710 have voted at early sites. In 2004, the state counted some 984,000 ballots during the full early period.
Posted — UpdatedData released Sunday by the State Board of Elections shows 1,078,710 have voted at early sites. In 2004, the state counted some 984,000 ballots during the full early period.
"You have so many people who have never been involved in anything before who are deciding they want to be a part of something. And so this election gives that,” said Grady Bussey, organizer for the Chavis Community Center.
Elections leaders are encouraging people to take advantage of the one-stop sites, fearing that Election Day lines could be long. Wake County even expanded the number of early voting sites available to keep up with demand.
"One of the reasons we really wanted to open the number of sites is with the increased number of voters in Wake County. By early voting it's more convenient for the voters,” said Cherie Poucher, director of Wake County's elections.
The early voting process has drawn a few complaints, according to a recent WRAL News poll; eight out of 10 people think voters should be required to show identification at the polls.
“That's something for the legislature to consider. We just follow the election laws,” Poucher said when asked about an ID requirement.
Elections officials expect that some one-third of voters in North Carolina will go to the polls early. Already, more than 19 percent of registered voters have gone to one-stop sites.
Another 113,000 voters have cast an absentee ballot, including 4,700 in the military and 2,179 people overseas.
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