1.5 million have cast their vote, here is the breakdown
After the first eight days of early voting, North Carolina remains well ahead of voter turnout numbers for the most recent previous midterm election year, 2022. As of the close of voting on Saturday, October 24, more than 1.5 million North Carolinians had cast their votes, or about 19.6% of all registered voters in the state. That turnout rate is 29% ahead of turnout at the same point in 2022.
Turnout numbers also show a continuing strong advantage to Democratic voter turnout, 18% higher than Republican turnout so far.
These numbers suggest a continued advantage to environment-friendly candidates like Roy Cooper for US Senate and Anita Earls for NC Supreme Court.
Cooper has been endorsed by the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) Action Fund, and Earls has been endorsed by the NCLCV Conservation PAC.
North Carolina candidates listed amongst “Dirty Dozen”
Meanwhile their opponents Michael Whatley and Sarah Stevens, respectively, have been named to national “dirty dozen” lists. Whatley was named to the 2026 Dirty Dozen list of the worst environmental candidates for federal office by the LCV Action Fund. Stevens was named to the LCV Action Fund’s 2026 “Dirty Dozen in the States” list of the worst environmental candidates of the year among candidates for state office.
See here for a complete list of NCLCV’s Conservation PAC 2026 endorsements.
The work is not over yet
During the final weeks of the campaign, Cooper is making stops around the state to promote efforts to continue the high rate of voter turnout during early voting. He noted that history is full of candidates who led in October but lost in November, and he is determined to avoid that fate by pushing hard through election day to persuade undecided voters and turn out supporters.
NCLCV urges supporters of the environment and democracy to vote early and in person. Early voting continues today (Monday, October 26) through Saturday, October 31 at 3 p.m. Voters can find the nearest early voting polling places to them, and the hours they are open, here.