Wake early voting numbers up despite fewer polling places

More people voted during the first four days of early voting in Wake County than during the same period four years ago, despite fewer early voting locations being available this year.

Posted 7:20 p.m. Oct 24, 2016 — Updated 12:22 a.m. Oct 25, 2016

Mark Binker

RALEIGH, N.C. — Wake County voters cast more ballots during the first four days of early voting than during the same period four years ago, despite having fewer "one stop" locations available.

The 38,259 ballots cast and accepted Thursday through Sunday marks a 9 percent jump from the last presidential election year.

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That bucks a statewide trend that saw a slight dip in early voting totals. But Wake County's gains would have likely been impossible if the the State Board of Elections had not ordered the county to expand from a plan that would have offered only a single location during the first seven days of early voting.

"It just logistically would not have been possible," said Mark Ezzell, a Democratic member of the Wake County Board of Elections.

First 4 days of 2016 early voting in Wake County

During the same period four years ago, Wake County opened 16 one-stop early voting locations. Nine locations opened across the county last Thursday, meaning more people had to filter through fewer locations during the opening days of early voting, which contributed to periodic long lines at some polling sites.

But the waits that some encountered, Ezzell said, would have been turned into "gridlock" in downtown Raleigh had the single-location plan been pursued.

Eleven more early voting locations will open up in Wake County this Thursday, which Ezzell said should relieve some of the pressure on the current early voting locations.

Across the state, 408,905 people cast early votes, compared to 412,765 during the same period four years ago.