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Voting in the general election started two weeks ago, with record turnouts being reported across North Carolina. Excitement is so high you’d think the Board of Elections was a Ticketmaster outlet selling WWE passes on a first-come, first-served basis.
As of Monday, more than 3 million voters – greater than 36% of the state’s 7.7 million registered voters – have already cast their ballots, an astounding number this soon. If you miss out on early voting you can always do the right thing come Tuesday, Nov. 5, the official date of the 2024 general election.
While attorney general Josh Stein retains a comfortable lead in polls for the N.C. governor’s race, a lead that grew after CNN’s investigative report about Republican candidate Mark Robinson’s alleged commentary on a pornography site, the presidential race remains a toss-up in the Tar Heel State. As a result, North Carolina will play a key role in the Electoral College, which determines the winner.
Historical note: In the last six presidential elections, the winner of the popular vote twice has been denied the White House. In both cases, Democrats lost the Electoral College; Al Gore in 2000 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. And surveys say there’s a good chance the winner may receive less than 50% of the popular vote this time around, too.
A High Point University Poll released on Oct. 22 found that Vice President Kamala Harris was leading former President Donald Trump by 1% in North Carolina – 47%-46%. The latest Carolina Journal poll showed Trump leading Harris by an insignificant six-tenths of a percentage point. However, a poll from Rasmussen Reports and American Thinker gave Trump a 51%-46% lead over Harris.
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North Carolina is one of seven battleground, or swing, states that collectively have 93 Electoral College votes. In 2020, Trump won North Carolina 49.9%-48.6% over Joe Biden and Harris; in 2016, Trump won the state 49.8%-46.2% over Clinton and Tim Kaine.
It helps North Carolina to be important on the national stage, as politicians pay more attention to swing states. A consequence of that is the endless parade of political ads polluting our screens with how the other candidate is going to destroy everything you hold dear.
In the Rasmussen Reports and American Thinker poll, voters said their top issues in choosing a president are led by the economy (33%), border security (17%) and abortion (12%); 7% each were violent crime, climate change and government corruption; education (5%) was just in front of not sure (4%), and global conflicts and war (3%).
A poll by doxo.com showed similar results for North Carolina voters, who named the most important issue as the economy (38%), followed by health care (27%). A full 61% of voters say the economic climate is impacting their vote.
Demonstrating our nation’s bitter political divide, on the question, “Who is the biggest enemy America faces?” the Democratic Party received 27%, China 19%, the Republican Party 16%, Russia 15%, domestic extremists 9%, unsure 8% and Iran 6%. That’s a sad result.
On the bipartisan side, a Gallup poll released this month showed that Democrats, Republicans and independents alike support both early voting policies as well as photo identification for elections. And I’m happy to report that some politicians are actually promoting unity in terms of the state’s election process.
Two former North Carolina governors from opposite sides of the political aisle – Democrat Mike Easley and Republican Jim Martin – appear together in a video paid for by Common Cause North Carolina. Easley says while they don’t agree on everything, they do agree there’s a process that guarantees votes are counted and reported correctly. Martin adds that hundreds of dedicated people are working to ensure the Nov. 5 election is fair, secure and accurate – a process that should be respected, no matter who wins.
Easley ends with, “Regardless of party, our democracy comes first.” How I wish that was a national motto.
David Brown is publisher of the Cherokee Scout. You can reach him by phone, 828-837-5122; email, dbrown@cherokeescout.com; or on X @daviddBstroh.