Who voted in North Carolina during the 2020 General Election, and how did they choose to cast their ballot?
The COVID-19 pandemic created unprecedented challenges in nearly every area of life throughout 2020 — including the General Election.
Federal and local safety guidelines necessitated significant changes to in-person voting sites, voting procedures, and a need for personal protective equipment (PPE). The pandemic also led to poll worker recruitment on a massive scale. Meanwhile, political figures and media stoked fear about the validity of the election, leading to voter confusion and political unrest.
Despite these challenges, the 2020 General Election resulted in the highest voter turnout in recent U.S. history. Over 5.5 million North Carolinians cast a ballot during the General Election – nearly 72% of the state’s voting-eligible population. When compared to other states, North Carolina ranked 17th in the nation for voter turnout.
The following analysis attempts to identify the key trends in North Carolina’s 2020 General Election: who turned out to vote, and how they voted. Due to the profound negative impact that colonialism and racism have had on our state, we examine disparities between racial and ethnic groups. We also attempt to tease out the impact that policy changes – both big and small – may have had on turnout and voter registration in our state.
Regardless of how one might interpret the 2020 turnout data, one clear fact remains: in-person voting on Election Day continues to decline in popularity among North Carolinians. In order to make our democracy more equitable and reflective of voters’ wants and needs, policymakers must continue offering voting methods that are flexible and accessible.