RALEIGH, N.C. — Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. today in Raleigh and across North Carolina for the midterm election, and Wake County voters have more than a U.S. Senate race to settle. Two county bond questions worth a combined $829 million-plus are also on the ballot.
Voting runs until 7:30 p.m. Unlike early voting, Election Day voters must use their assigned precinct, and the state voter search tool shows each person’s polling place and sample ballot. A photo ID is required, and accepted forms include a North Carolina driver’s license, a U.S. passport and some student IDs.
In Wake, the two referenda would pay to build and renovate K-12 schools and community college buildings. If both pass, property taxes are projected to rise $5 for every $100,000 of value. Wake school board seats in Districts 1, 2, 7 and 9 are also being decided, along with every U.S. House seat, the full 170-member General Assembly, four appellate court seats and three proposed amendments to the state constitution.
Turnout has already broken a midterm record. More than 2.8 million people, close to 36% of registered voters statewide, voted early or by mail before Election Day.
Anyone still holding a mail ballot should not drop it in the mail now. Under a recent state law, mail ballots that arrive after Election Day are rejected even with an earlier postmark. Those ballots can be hand-delivered to the county board of elections office before 7:30 p.m., or the voter can simply vote in person.
State elections spokesman Jason Tyson, whose agency is based in Raleigh, said officials are pleased with the turnout and do not expect widespread trouble at polling sites. He said observers from a range of groups may be present and know they are not allowed to intimidate, harass or interfere with voters.
Section: More Raleigh NC politics news
Filed under: Raleigh NC Politics News
