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DEMOCRACY NC ANALYSIS: 1 in 10 NC Voters, 1 in 7 Dems Have Already Requested By-Mail Ballots

(September 8, 2020)  — On September 4, North Carolina became the first state to begin mailing absentee ballots for the 2020 General Elections — just shy of two months before Election Day. Four days later on September 8, at least 80 returned absentee ballots had already been accepted across 15 counties (including some overseas civilian ballots and military ballots).

As of September 8, about 1 in 10 registered voters in North Carolina had requested an absentee mail in ballot. Those 688,980 requests, accounted for almost three times the total number of absentee ballots requested in the 2016 General Election, and more than 15 times the number of absentee ballots requested at the same point in the 2016 Election cycle.

Voting rights group Democracy North Carolina analyzed the numbers as of September 8 and found some surprising results.

By Racial Demographics

Since absentee mail in ballots are historically utilized by more white North Carolina voters than voters of color, the increase in absentee ballot requests for voters of color is especially dramatic. White voters made up 82% of the absentee ballot requests in the 2016 General election, but only make up 69% of the requests in the 2020 cycle so far.

A closer look at the demographics of ballot requests thus far reveals: 

  • Black voters have already requested five (5) times the total number of absentee ballots requested by Black voters in the 2016 Election, and 27 times the number of ballots requested at this point in 2016.
  • Asian voters have already requested four (4) times the total number of absentee ballots requested by Asian voters in the 2016 Election, and 27 times the number of ballots requested at this point in 2016.
  • Indigenous voters have already requested more than three (3) times the total number of absentee ballots requested by Indigenous voters in the 2016 Election, and 24 times the number of ballots requested at this point in 2016.
  • Multiracial voters have already requested two and a half (2.5) times the total number of absentee ballots requested by Multiracial voters in the 2016 Election, and 13 times the number of ballots requested at this point in 2016.
  • White voters have already requested 2.4 times the total number of absentee ballots requested by white voters in the 2016 Election, and 13 times the number of ballots requested at this point in 2016.

Based on ethnicity, Latinx voters have already requested more than four (4) times the total number of absentee ballots requested by Latinx voters in the 2016 Election, and 24 times the number of ballots requested at this point in 2016.

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By Party

In the 2016 cycle, 39% of absentee ballots requests were made by Republicans, followed by 32% by Democrats, and 29% by Unaffiliated voters. This year so far, the patterns are dramatically different: 52% of absentee requests are by Democrats, 16% by Republicans, and 31% by Unaffiliated Voters. One in seven registered Democrats have already requested an absentee ballot, compared to about 1 in 10 Green Party voters and unaffiliated voters, 1 in 20 Republicans and Libertarians, and 1 in 30 Constitution voters.

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By County

Broadly, the most populous counties are leading the number of absentee ballot requests, with Wake, Mecklenburg, Durham, Guilford, Buncombe, and Forsyth in the lead for the number of ballots requested. A stunning 20% of Orange County’s registered voters (1 in 5) have requested an absentee ballot by mail, as have 18% of Chatham voters, 16% of Durham voters, and 15% of Wake voters. 18 counties have received requests from 10% or more of the registered voters in the county.

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Registered voters can request an absentee ballot by mail, email, or online at the State Board of Elections website. To learn more about registering to vote or voting options for the 2020 General Election, please visit ncvoter.org, or call the NC Election Protection Hotline at 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683).

Democracy North Carolina is a statewide nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to increase civic participation, reduce the influence of big money in politics, and remove systemic barriers to voting and serving in elected office. Learn more at democracync.org.

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MEDIA CONTACTS: 

Sunny Frothingham, Senior Researcher, sunny@democracync.org
Alissa Ellis, Advocacy Director, alissa@democracync.org
Sailor Jones, Campaigns Director, sailor@democracync.org