The number of absentee ballot requests has decreased by over 80% in North Carolina since 2020, but more young adults are requesting mail-in votes than in previous years, according to recent data. The State Board of Elections in North Carolina announced that county boards have received over 207,600 absentee ballot requests for the 2024 elections, including over 19,000 requests from military and overseas voters. This is a significant shift from previous election cycles.
Director Karen Brinson Bell revealed that as of Monday morning, 102 ballots had been returned by military and overseas voters whose ballots were sent out on Friday. Most of these voters are using the state board’s absentee ballot portal to request, receive, and return their ballots electronically.
While Democrats still lead in overall absentee ballot requests, Republicans have increased their participation, making gains from previous years. Unaffiliated voters are also showing a steady increase in absentee ballot requests. The most significant change is seen among young women, who have doubled their proportion of mail-in ballot requests this year.
With the upcoming elections, analysts are closely watching the trends in absentee voting, particularly among key demographics. The latest poll results show that the race for governor in North Carolina is leaning in favor of Democratic candidate Josh Stein over Republican candidate Mark Robinson. Additionally, the presidential candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are essentially tied in the state.
As absentee ballots are sent out to counties, it is expected that return rates will remain around 70%, similar to previous election cycles. The outcome of the unaffiliated voter cohort remains uncertain, although surveys suggest that unaffiliated women may favor Democratic candidates. Overall, the changing landscape of absentee voting in North Carolina could have significant implications for the upcoming elections.
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