With the November midterm election under a month out, there has been speculation about whether turnout will differ in 2026 compared to 2022, with absentee voting patterns raising particular interest.
New data out of North Carolina, which began sending out absentee ballots to voters just over a month ago on Sept. 4, reveals that 2026 could result in lower absentee voting than the 2022 midterm cycle did.
As of this writing, a total of 24,005 absentee ballots have been returned, according to the latest numbers from the North Carolina Board of Elections. These numbers are calculated through Oct. 7, 27 days before Election Day.