NC officials express confidence in election integrity as early voting begins

Early voting is off to a strong start for the 2026 midterms with more than 27,000 ballots cast before noon Thursday, the first day of early in-person voting, according to North Carolina State Board of Elections Executive Director Sam Hayes.

Seventy-four percent of North Carolina voters cast their ballots early in the 2024 general election, and Hayes anticipates similar participation this year across the state’s 370 early voting sites.

Key election dates:

Oct. 15: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available. Vote Early in Person.

Oct. 20: Absentee ballot request deadline

Oct. 31: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).

Nov. 3: Election Day.  Absentee ballots due by 7:30 p.m.

Source: NC State Board of Elections

For months leading up to the early voting period, county elections directors and thousands of poll workers have been training election volunteers, preparing and testing voting equipment, and securing voting locations.

“Our responsibility is to ensure that elections are administered fairly, accurately, securely,” Hayes said during a Thursday press availability. “That means maintaining accurate voter registration records, enforcing election laws, and protecting the integrity of the entire voting process.”

Targeting noncitizens

Earlier this week, the State Board of Elections began sending out letters to nearly 1,400 registered voters flagged by the federal SAVE database as potential noncitizens.

The letter asks people who are not U.S. citizens to complete an enclosed form to cancel their voter registration. Those who are citizens are asked to contact the board by phone or email and provide proof of citizenship so officials can update their records.

Hayes stressed that those voters will be allowed to cast a regular ballot in this election.

“No one is being removed automatically because of anything we find on the SAVE database because they received this letter,” Hayes said.

He said those receiving the letter who may have a question about their status should contact the state board.

“If you cast a vote illegally and there are severe criminal penalties for doing that,” Hayes warned. “But at the same time, if you are sure that you are a citizen of the United States and duly registered to vote, then we encourage you to vote.”

Hayes said the letters were “a service” to let them know in advance that state elections officials and federal prosecutors were looking into their eligibility to cast a ballot.

“We’re going to need to communicate with all of these folks at some point to try to verify their citizenship,” said Hayes.

NC elections board to notify 1,392 voters flagged as potential noncitizens

The Southern Coalition for Social Justice says the federal SAVE system is an incredibly unreliable source of citizenship information with the potential to flag naturalized, eligible voters.

SCSJ attorneys stress that eligible citizens can cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 election regardless of whether they respond to the State Board of Elections about the letter.

Hayes also spoke briefly about Wednesday’s announcement that 10 noncitizens have been indicted on federal charges of unlawfully voting in the 2024 election.

“Everyone is aware that the state board has run our voter rolls through the SAVE database, and we did share information with federal authorities, with the FBI,” said Hayes. “I think a lot of that formed the basis of these investigations. We’re always going to do that.”

No grace period

Hayes also reminded eligible voters who requested an absentee ballot to be certain the completed ballot is received by their county board of elections no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

“There is no longer a grace period,” said Hayes.”Voters should not assume that mailing their ballot on election day will be sufficient.”

Voters who requested an absentee ballot but have not returned it and are worried about that deadline may still choose to vote in person.

More than 33,400 absentee ballots had been cast as of Wednesday, Oct. 14.

Voters with additional questions can contact their county board of elections.