2026 North Carolina Primary Election

Early voting numbers in Mecklenburg County show Hispanic voters account for just about 3% of total turnout in this year’s primary. Still, participation reached record levels.

A record 712,000 North Carolinians cast ballots during early voting for Tuesday’s primary election, according to state elections data. That’s the highest early turnout ever recorded for a midterm primary in North Carolina.

The makeup of voters who cast ballots early looks more like the 2018 midterm election than the 2022 midterm.

A new ad accuses a Republican state senate candidate of criticizing President Trump’s immigration policy. The ad supports Senate leader Phil Berger over his GOP primary challenger, Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. Paul Specht of WRAL joined WFAE’s Marshall Terry for more.

In interviews, more than a dozen voters and local Democratic Party officials expressed a mixture of alarm and optimism ahead of the March 3 primary.

Whatley is a former chair of the Republican National Committee. Before that, he was a chairman of North Carolina's Republican Party.

Adam Smith’s decision to run for Congress was spurred by his Hurricane Helene experience. Will it be enough for him to unseat the incumbent?

Fewer than 20,000 voters participate in a typical state Senate primary, but GOP primary voters in two counties will have a major impact on the power dynamics in the state legislature.

We’re about a week and a half from North Carolina’s March 3 primary. One of the biggest races is for the U.S. Senate seat Republican Thom Tillis will vacate. Several Republicans are vying to face former Gov. Roy Cooper, including Michele Morrow, who drew national attention in 2024 when she ran for state superintendent of public instruction. Carli Brosseau wrote about those challenges for The Assembly. She joined WFAE’s Marshall Terry.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper made a stop at a local church in Greensboro to discuss rising health care costs and the need for more affordable health care.

Early voting for the March primaries is underway. We discuss some key races to watch for, how certain races could shift power in North Carolina and what to keep in mind as you head to the polls.

It’s election season again in North Carolina. The March 3 primary will determine which candidates appear on the general election ballot in November.