UPDATED DEC. 3, 2008
Note: The following figures are based on official State Board of Elections results as of November 25 and on SBOE data through November 6 on absentee ballots cast, including onestop ballots.
Before the polls opened on Tuesday, a majority of the people who would decide North Carolina’s elections had already voted. Statewide, early voters made up 60 percent of those who participated in the 2008 General Election. (They comprised 42 percent of all registered voters.)
Early voting was particularly heavy in Durham, Lee, Orange, and Pender counties, in which early ballots comprised 74 to 75 percent of ballots cast. On the other end of the spectrum, Hyde County saw only 23 percent of ballots cast early, and Avery, Currituck, Robeson, and Yadkin counties had early ballot percentages in the thirties.
Early voters were more likely than election day voters to vote a straight party Democratic ticket. Statewide, 34 percent of early voters selected a straight party Democratic ticket, compared to 23 percent of election day voters.
All Votes |
Early Votes |
Straight Party Ticket Votes |
|||||||||||||
All Straight Party Votes |
Early Votes Only |
Election Day Votes Only |
|||||||||||||
County |
Registered Voters |
Ballots Cast |
Voter Turnout |
Early Ballots Cast |
Early Ballots as Percent of All Ballots |
Early Voters as Percent of Registered Voters |
Dem |
Rep |
Lib |
Dem |
Rep |
Lib |
Dem |
Rep |
Lib |
Total: |
6,226,160 |
4,354,571 |
70% |
2,627,723 |
60% |
42% |
1,283,486 |
881,856 |
19,054 |
889,535 |
502,655 |
9,221 |
393,951 |
379,201 |
9,833 |
Alamance |
90,203 |
65,158 |
72% |
37,079 |
57% |
41% |
18,655 |
15,253 |
288 |
12,150 |
8,338 |
114 |
6,505 |
6,915 |
174 |
Alexander |
24,235 |
17,456 |
72% |
9,150 |
52% |
38% |
3,198 |
5,101 |
79 |
2,048 |
2,862 |
38 |
1,150 |
2,239 |
41 |
Alleghany |
7,269 |
5,453 |
75% |
3,244 |
59% |
45% |
716 |
711 |
30 |
461 |
413 |
18 |
255 |
298 |
12 |
Anson |
15,809 |
10,849 |
69% |
5,673 |
52% |
36% |
5,353 |
1,053 |
38 |
3,657 |
396 |
10 |
1,696 |
657 |
28 |
Ashe |
20,389 |
13,420 |
66% |
6,091 |
45% |
30% |
2,442 |
2,629 |
89 |
1,426 |
1,177 |
32 |
1,016 |
1,452 |
57 |
Avery |
12,486 |
8,055 |
65% |
2,425 |
30% |
19% |
901 |
2,673 |
63 |
397 |
760 |
16 |
504 |
1,913 |
47 |
Beaufort |
31,951 |
23,261 |
73% |
12,123 |
52% |
38% |
6,099 |
4,174 |
91 |
3,716 |
2,088 |
37 |
2,383 |
2,086 |
54 |
Bertie |
14,144 |
9,884 |
70% |
6,140 |
62% |
43% |
5,432 |
1,000 |
22 |
3,598 |
530 |
11 |
1,834 |
470 |
11 |
Bladen |
22,231 |
15,690 |
71% |
10,386 |
66% |
47% |
5,824 |
1,562 |
69 |
4,133 |
942 |
40 |
1,691 |
620 |
29 |
Brunswick |
75,778 |
53,544 |
71% |
37,854 |
71% |
50% |
9,967 |
11,400 |
305 |
7,727 |
8,029 |
152 |
2,240 |
3,371 |
153 |
Buncombe |
174,685 |
124,791 |
71% |
88,986 |
71% |
51% |
38,905 |
21,521 |
640 |
30,853 |
14,574 |
379 |
8,052 |
6,947 |
261 |
Burke |
56,794 |
38,328 |
67% |
25,072 |
65% |
44% |
8,562 |
9,244 |
293 |
6,123 |
5,842 |
147 |
2,439 |
3,402 |
146 |
Cabarrus |
109,529 |
78,667 |
72% |
34,581 |
44% |
32% |
16,010 |
17,919 |
288 |
9,571 |
8,194 |
94 |
6,439 |
9,725 |
194 |
Caldwell |
53,661 |
35,671 |
66% |
23,109 |
65% |
43% |
6,048 |
8,066 |
229 |
4,458 |
5,324 |
139 |
1,590 |
2,742 |
90 |
Camden |
7,156 |
4,877 |
68% |
2,896 |
59% |
40% |
898 |
903 |
27 |
620 |
487 |
9 |
278 |
416 |
18 |
|
47,900 |
34,932 |
73% |
21,214 |
61% |
44% |
5,485 |
9,066 |
138 |
3,460 |
5,656 |
71 |
2,025 |
3,410 |
67 |
Caswell |
15,373 |
11,012 |
72% |
5,524 |
50% |
36% |
3,886 |
1,806 |
57 |
2,289 |
743 |
17 |
1,597 |
1,063 |
40 |
Catawba |
104,544 |
70,544 |
67% |
46,672 |
66% |
45% |
14,409 |
20,499 |
407 |
10,772 |
13,947 |
252 |
3,637 |
6,552 |
155 |
Chatham |
42,503 |
33,085 |
78% |
21,993 |
66% |
52% |
10,688 |
5,833 |
106 |
8,393 |
3,506 |
55 |
2,295 |
2,327 |
51 |
Cherokee |
20,798 |
12,880 |
62% |
6,592 |
51% |
32% |
2,216 |
3,538 |
109 |
1,248 |
1,791 |
36 |
968 |
1,747 |
73 |
Chowan |
10,551 |
7,568 |
72% |
5,052 |
67% |
48% |
2,443 |
1,135 |
36 |
1,727 |
708 |
24 |
716 |
427 |
12 |
Clay |
8,445 |
5,625 |
67% |
3,525 |
63% |
42% |
1,165 |
1,742 |
46 |
803 |
1,064 |
21 |
362 |
678 |
25 |
Cleveland |
61,524 |
44,117 |
72% |
24,586 |
56% |
40% |
11,048 |
8,470 |
184 |
7,711 |
4,413 |
67 |
3,337 |
4,057 |
117 |
Columbus |
38,385 |
24,638 |
64% |
13,367 |
54% |
35% |
8,986 |
2,743 |
152 |
5,835 |
1,401 |
68 |
3,151 |
1,342 |
84 |
Craven |
68,174 |
45,181 |
66% |
26,239 |
58% |
38% |
12,925 |
10,576 |
187 |
9,467 |
6,695 |
99 |
3,458 |
3,881 |
88 |
Cumberland |
208,513 |
128,878 |
62% |
81,667 |
63% |
39% |
51,151 |
21,832 |
562 |
35,217 |
10,678 |
270 |
15,934 |
11,154 |
292 |
Currituck |
16,472 |
11,170 |
68% |
4,002 |
36% |
24% |
1,723 |
2,649 |
72 |
780 |
922 |
13 |
943 |
1,727 |
59 |
Dare |
26,856 |
18,300 |
68% |
9,421 |
51% |
35% |
4,433 |
3,908 |
82 |
2,740 |
1,974 |
39 |
1,693 |
1,934 |
43 |
Davidson |
101,325 |
69,852 |
69% |
35,838 |
51% |
35% |
12,628 |
21,875 |
382 |
7,314 |
11,592 |
129 |
5,314 |
10,283 |
253 |
Davie |
26,756 |
20,623 |
77% |
12,346 |
60% |
46% |
2,836 |
6,215 |
137 |
2,041 |
3,660 |
61 |
795 |
2,555 |
76 |
Duplin |
28,694 |
20,075 |
70% |
9,513 |
47% |
33% |
7,137 |
3,730 |
81 |
4,431 |
1,559 |
32 |
2,706 |
2,171 |
49 |
Durham |
178,500 |
137,358 |
77% |
102,472 |
75% |
57% |
58,469 |
12,523 |
450 |
46,223 |
8,622 |
310 |
12,246 |
3,901 |
140 |
Edgecombe |
38,637 |
26,191 |
68% |
18,235 |
70% |
47% |
15,317 |
3,125 |
57 |
11,874 |
1,846 |
28 |
3,443 |
1,279 |
29 |
Forsyth |
222,081 |
167,871 |
76% |
91,726 |
55% |
41% |
55,684 |
32,870 |
566 |
37,872 |
17,562 |
255 |
17,812 |
15,308 |
311 |
Franklin |
36,282 |
26,836 |
74% |
14,394 |
54% |
40% |
8,236 |
4,838 |
130 |
5,573 |
2,255 |
61 |
2,663 |
2,583 |
69 |
Gaston |
127,448 |
85,184 |
67% |
52,191 |
61% |
41% |
18,124 |
22,405 |
305 |
12,756 |
13,598 |
151 |
5,368 |
8,807 |
154 |
Gates |
8,040 |
5,490 |
68% |
2,443 |
44% |
30% |
2,248 |
1,189 |
17 |
1,244 |
411 |
1 |
1,004 |
778 |
16 |
Graham |
6,590 |
4,325 |
66% |
2,120 |
49% |
32% |
622 |
707 |
36 |
395 |
338 |
13 |
227 |
369 |
23 |
Granville |
33,545 |
24,866 |
74% |
16,031 |
64% |
48% |
8,932 |
4,032 |
92 |
6,526 |
2,451 |
62 |
2,406 |
1,581 |
30 |
Greene |
10,974 |
8,179 |
75% |
4,811 |
59% |
44% |
2,853 |
1,280 |
25 |
1,961 |
705 |
12 |
892 |
575 |
13 |
Guilford |
355,073 |
243,764 |
69% |
160,366 |
66% |
45% |
91,996 |
48,258 |
974 |
67,482 |
30,251 |
478 |
24,514 |
18,007 |
496 |
Halifax |
36,572 |
25,303 |
69% |
14,684 |
58% |
40% |
13,404 |
2,518 |
48 |
8,639 |
1,323 |
20 |
4,765 |
1,195 |
28 |
Harnett |
61,829 |
41,018 |
66% |
20,853 |
51% |
34% |
10,725 |
8,755 |
185 |
6,716 |
4,125 |
85 |
4,009 |
4,630 |
100 |
Haywood |
42,350 |
28,771 |
68% |
16,267 |
57% |
38% |
6,500 |
4,440 |
167 |
4,153 |
2,619 |
67 |
2,347 |
1,821 |
100 |
Henderson |
77,050 |
52,381 |
68% |
33,379 |
64% |
43% |
10,892 |
15,683 |
299 |
7,968 |
10,018 |
143 |
2,924 |
5,665 |
156 |
Hertford |
15,220 |
10,749 |
71% |
7,182 |
67% |
47% |
6,516 |
1,252 |
29 |
4,759 |
687 |
14 |
1,757 |
565 |
15 |
Hoke |
25,282 |
15,711 |
62% |
9,457 |
60% |
37% |
6,319 |
2,468 |
66 |
4,297 |
1,321 |
32 |
2,022 |
1,147 |
34 |
Hyde |
3,701 |
2,500 |
68% |
574 |
23% |
16% |
818 |
275 |
6 |
237 |
62 |
1 |
581 |
213 |
5 |
Iredell |
101,587 |
73,696 |
73% |
43,097 |
58% |
42% |
13,755 |
18,415 |
341 |
9,639 |
11,057 |
175 |
4,116 |
7,358 |
166 |
Jackson |
26,615 |
17,196 |
65% |
10,040 |
58% |
38% |
5,015 |
3,070 |
119 |
3,288 |
1,589 |
57 |
1,727 |
1,481 |
62 |
Johnston |
100,750 |
72,318 |
72% |
37,744 |
52% |
37% |
15,280 |
16,596 |
304 |
10,494 |
8,298 |
130 |
4,786 |
8,298 |
174 |
Jones |
7,248 |
5,271 |
73% |
2,363 |
45% |
33% |
1,513 |
765 |
32 |
769 |
342 |
5 |
744 |
423 |
27 |
Lee |
32,839 |
23,957 |
73% |
17,880 |
75% |
54% |
6,121 |
3,770 |
110 |
4,954 |
2,722 |
67 |
1,167 |
1,048 |
43 |
Lenoir |
37,997 |
27,360 |
72% |
18,311 |
67% |
48% |
10,054 |
4,544 |
74 |
6,714 |
3,161 |
44 |
3,340 |
1,383 |
30 |
Lincoln |
49,879 |
36,066 |
72% |
19,544 |
54% |
39% |
5,790 |
8,922 |
166 |
3,695 |
4,750 |
83 |
2,095 |
4,172 |
83 |
Macon |
25,278 |
17,466 |
69% |
10,726 |
61% |
42% |
3,529 |
3,891 |
89 |
2,483 |
2,411 |
52 |
1,046 |
1,480 |
37 |
Madison |
16,532 |
10,642 |
64% |
5,911 |
56% |
36% |
2,834 |
2,090 |
60 |
1,742 |
1,107 |
28 |
1,092 |
983 |
32 |
Martin |
18,230 |
12,651 |
69% |
6,262 |
49% |
34% |
5,054 |
1,319 |
42 |
3,299 |
479 |
14 |
1,755 |
840 |
28 |
McDowell |
29,483 |
18,672 |
63% |
11,559 |
62% |
39% |
3,017 |
3,643 |
124 |
2,067 |
2,282 |
77 |
950 |
1,361 |
47 |
|
627,498 |
415,248 |
66% |
232,617 |
56% |
37% |
148,381 |
81,729 |
1,516 |
93,960 |
41,017 |
620 |
54,421 |
40,712 |
896 |
Mitchell |
11,863 |
7,991 |
67% |
4,514 |
56% |
38% |
953 |
2,260 |
56 |
689 |
1,189 |
27 |
264 |
1,071 |
29 |
Montgomery |
16,318 |
11,370 |
70% |
4,784 |
42% |
29% |
3,412 |
2,108 |
45 |
1,755 |
893 |
17 |
1,657 |
1,215 |
28 |
Moore |
60,150 |
45,662 |
76% |
29,501 |
65% |
49% |
9,542 |
13,144 |
192 |
7,173 |
8,170 |
108 |
2,369 |
4,974 |
84 |
Nash |
64,745 |
47,476 |
73% |
30,506 |
64% |
47% |
18,526 |
9,334 |
122 |
14,226 |
5,721 |
47 |
4,300 |
3,613 |
75 |
New |
144,696 |
101,398 |
70% |
59,617 |
59% |
41% |
23,736 |
18,474 |
445 |
16,097 |
11,211 |
202 |
7,639 |
7,263 |
243 |
Northampton |
15,257 |
10,742 |
70% |
5,510 |
51% |
36% |
6,039 |
1,236 |
23 |
3,547 |
558 |
11 |
2,492 |
678 |
12 |
Onslow |
86,482 |
50,544 |
58% |
32,026 |
63% |
37% |
9,415 |
9,997 |
339 |
6,646 |
5,864 |
165 |
2,769 |
4,133 |
174 |
Orange |
105,540 |
75,194 |
71% |
55,425 |
74% |
53% |
30,412 |
8,972 |
285 |
25,043 |
5,622 |
183 |
5,369 |
3,350 |
102 |
Pamlico |
9,556 |
6,848 |
72% |
4,845 |
71% |
51% |
1,792 |
1,291 |
28 |
1,357 |
875 |
16 |
435 |
416 |
12 |
Pasquotank |
28,343 |
18,327 |
65% |
13,438 |
73% |
47% |
7,248 |
2,669 |
89 |
5,606 |
1,807 |
57 |
1,642 |
862 |
32 |
Pender |
33,743 |
24,180 |
72% |
18,073 |
75% |
54% |
5,758 |
5,589 |
426 |
4,370 |
4,189 |
266 |
1,388 |
1,400 |
160 |
Perquimans |
9,391 |
6,610 |
70% |
3,895 |
59% |
41% |
1,797 |
1,321 |
35 |
1,078 |
775 |
15 |
719 |
546 |
20 |
Person |
25,039 |
18,736 |
75% |
12,420 |
66% |
50% |
5,200 |
2,561 |
71 |
3,782 |
1,546 |
43 |
1,418 |
1,015 |
28 |
Pitt |
105,841 |
75,392 |
71% |
52,130 |
69% |
49% |
28,164 |
14,709 |
218 |
20,669 |
9,930 |
125 |
7,495 |
4,779 |
93 |
Polk |
15,119 |
10,790 |
71% |
7,849 |
73% |
52% |
2,740 |
2,528 |
73 |
2,239 |
1,744 |
40 |
501 |
784 |
33 |
Randolph |
85,657 |
58,670 |
68% |
29,714 |
51% |
35% |
8,572 |
20,050 |
292 |
5,237 |
10,158 |
130 |
3,335 |
9,892 |
162 |
Richmond |
29,349 |
19,501 |
66% |
12,111 |
62% |
41% |
6,170 |
1,891 |
89 |
4,143 |
1,123 |
44 |
2,027 |
768 |
45 |
Robeson |
68,680 |
41,397 |
60% |
15,419 |
37% |
22% |
17,299 |
3,661 |
246 |
8,158 |
1,111 |
67 |
9,141 |
2,550 |
179 |
Rockingham |
59,950 |
41,952 |
70% |
24,064 |
57% |
40% |
10,557 |
8,681 |
246 |
7,099 |
4,729 |
121 |
3,458 |
3,952 |
125 |
Rowan |
90,288 |
61,948 |
69% |
35,188 |
57% |
39% |
13,229 |
14,728 |
240 |
9,037 |
8,476 |
103 |
4,192 |
6,252 |
137 |
|
42,819 |
29,239 |
68% |
17,798 |
61% |
42% |
5,320 |
5,605 |
196 |
3,772 |
3,313 |
96 |
1,548 |
2,292 |
100 |
Sampson |
36,990 |
26,296 |
71% |
14,754 |
56% |
40% |
9,087 |
6,345 |
77 |
214 |
416 |
3 |
8,873 |
5,929 |
74 |
|
23,063 |
14,301 |
62% |
9,483 |
66% |
41% |
5,446 |
1,417 |
57 |
3,998 |
830 |
26 |
1,448 |
587 |
31 |
Stanly |
38,944 |
28,816 |
74% |
17,791 |
62% |
46% |
4,788 |
7,919 |
163 |
3,200 |
4,985 |
86 |
1,588 |
2,934 |
77 |
Stokes |
30,325 |
22,108 |
73% |
9,045 |
41% |
30% |
3,604 |
5,933 |
108 |
1,854 |
2,503 |
34 |
1,750 |
3,430 |
74 |
Surry |
45,823 |
30,241 |
66% |
17,138 |
57% |
37% |
5,995 |
7,178 |
197 |
3,926 |
3,976 |
86 |
2,069 |
3,202 |
111 |
Swain |
9,825 |
5,942 |
60% |
3,175 |
53% |
32% |
1,567 |
941 |
40 |
957 |
481 |
15 |
610 |
460 |
25 |
|
23,619 |
17,333 |
73% |
10,690 |
62% |
45% |
3,303 |
3,429 |
120 |
2,375 |
2,028 |
52 |
928 |
1,401 |
68 |
Tyrrell |
2,647 |
1,930 |
73% |
1,031 |
53% |
39% |
665 |
173 |
10 |
353 |
103 |
5 |
312 |
70 |
5 |
|
120,514 |
86,949 |
72% |
57,584 |
66% |
48% |
16,863 |
27,975 |
343 |
13,062 |
18,937 |
210 |
3,801 |
9,038 |
133 |
Vance |
29,415 |
20,996 |
71% |
13,624 |
65% |
46% |
10,753 |
2,346 |
56 |
7,596 |
1,458 |
34 |
3,157 |
888 |
22 |
Wake |
592,767 |
444,013 |
75% |
273,817 |
62% |
46% |
129,316 |
83,870 |
1,593 |
94,172 |
46,890 |
804 |
35,144 |
36,980 |
789 |
Warren |
12,770 |
10,330 |
81% |
6,467 |
63% |
51% |
5,765 |
1,121 |
22 |
3,692 |
621 |
10 |
2,073 |
500 |
12 |
|
9,009 |
6,520 |
72% |
3,637 |
56% |
40% |
3,261 |
590 |
25 |
1,940 |
342 |
10 |
1,321 |
248 |
15 |
Watauga |
43,415 |
28,669 |
66% |
18,922 |
66% |
44% |
7,182 |
6,060 |
192 |
5,501 |
3,814 |
126 |
1,681 |
2,246 |
66 |
Wayne |
68,682 |
50,284 |
73% |
35,777 |
71% |
52% |
15,266 |
10,520 |
176 |
11,672 |
7,518 |
110 |
3,594 |
3,002 |
66 |
Wilkes |
42,211 |
30,227 |
72% |
14,913 |
49% |
35% |
3,834 |
6,277 |
190 |
2,295 |
3,074 |
70 |
1,539 |
3,203 |
120 |
Wilson |
53,102 |
37,661 |
71% |
24,901 |
66% |
47% |
15,611 |
8,437 |
85 |
11,378 |
5,482 |
45 |
4,233 |
2,955 |
40 |
Yadkin |
23,524 |
17,304 |
74% |
5,544 |
32% |
24% |
1,849 |
4,063 |
97 |
854 |
1,430 |
25 |
995 |
2,633 |
72 |
Yancey |
14,446 |
10,060 |
70% |
5,004 |
50% |
35% |
3,283 |
2,255 |
29 |
1,828 |
1,089 |
12 |
1,455 |
1,166 |
17 |
Total: |
6,226,160 |
4,354,571 |
70% |
2,627,723 |
60% |
42% |
1,283,486 |
881,856 |
19,054 |
889,535 |
502,655 |
9,221 |
393,951 |
379,201 |
9,833 |