Tuesday, March 3, is primary day in Mecklenburg County. Voters will choose candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, General Assembly seats, county commissioners, judges and Mecklenburg County sheriff. Here’s what to expect when you go to the polls today.
But before voting, you might be asking, why do primaries matter?
They decide who ends up on the ballot, yes, but they also often decide who actually ends up in office — especially in places that lean heavily toward one party. Turnout is usually low — in North Carolina’s 2022 midterm primary, fewer than 1 in 5 voters participated — so a small group of people can shape big decisions.
When only a small subset votes, a community’s full range of views sometimes isn’t reflected in the results. In some Mecklenburg County races, like sheriff, there’s no Republican on the ballot, so the winner of the Democratic primary effectively wins the office — making this primary the real contest.
Where to vote
Polls are open today from 6:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. You must vote at your assigned precinct. Look up your registration, ballot and polling place online before you go.
The absentee ballot return deadline is today. All ballots must be received by 7:30 p.m., when polls close. There is no longer a grace period for ballots to arrive by mail, so anything not at the county elections office by that time will not count. Track your mail-in ballot here.
North Carolina now requires voters to show ID to cast a ballot. Most forms of government-issued IDs are accepted, such as a driver's license, military ID, tribal ID, or passport. Some university-issued IDs are accepted as well. Find a full list here.
Note that voters without ID can fill out a form explaining their reason and cast a provisional ballot, which county election boards will review.
All registered voters are eligible, but there are a few catches. Registered Democrats and Republicans can only vote in their party's primary, while unaffiliated voters must choose one (Republican or Democrat) to vote in.
Who's on the ballot
Offices on the ballot in this election include:
- U.S. Senate and U.S. House
- State House and Senate seats
- County commissioners
- Sheriff
- Judges
Some races are district-specific, including Mecklenburg County Commission district representatives and state House seats.
Others are countywide, like the sheriff’s office and at-large county commissioners. And the U.S. Senate race is statewide, meaning people all over the state will see those candidates on their ballot.
You can find a full list of candidates and candidate profiles at the nonprofit, nonpartisan Election Hub.
Races WFAE is closely watching
One key race in Mecklenburg County is for the N.C. House seat held by state Rep. Carla Cunningham. Cunningham drew criticism from fellow Democrats and immigrant advocates after saying immigrants must assimilate and that all cultures are not equal. Three candidates are challenging her in the March 3 Democratic primary. Read more.
Democratic Gov. Josh Stein has endorsed activist Rodney Sadler over Cunningham, who has represented District 106 since 2013. Read more
Another important race is for Mecklenburg County Sheriff. Immigration enforcement is typically a federal responsibility, but in recent years, sheriffs have increasingly been pushed to cooperate with ICE, turning immigration into a major issue in sheriff races across North Carolina. Read more. There are no Republican candidates in the race. Whoever wins the March 3 primary will become the next Sheriff.
Once polls close, results will update in real time as counties report them. On the results page, races will appear first by county in alphabetical order, then by city, town, or village.
