NC College Students Furious as Election Boards Slash Early Voting Sites—Will Your Voice Go Unheard?

In a recent decision, the county board of elections opted not to designate its office as an early voting site for the upcoming primary election next year. This choice has compelled board members to seek alternative locations that ensure accessibility for voters. The conversation surrounding this topic has sparked a significant debate among board members, primarily aligned with political party lines.

The Republican members of the board have proposed using the Kiwanis Recreation Center, a site historically utilized for early voting due to its proximity to a community college. In contrast, Irene Grimes, a Democratic board member, advocates for the Smith Recreation Center, located directly across the street from Fayetteville State University (FSU), a historically Black university. This juxtaposition of proposed locations underscores differing priorities related to voter accessibility and demographic representation.

Although a consensus was not reached on a replacement site, both the majority and minority proposals under discussion include the Smith Recreation Center. An initial plan introduced by the elections director aimed to eliminate this site from consideration, a move that was promptly dismissed by Linda DeVore, the Republican board chair. She emphasized the need for thoughtful inclusion of all communities in this critical decision-making process.

Grimes and her fellow Democratic board member argue against selecting the Kiwanis Recreation Center. Instead, they propose prioritizing a location in Spring Lake, situated in the northernmost part of the county. The county typically designates only seven early voting sites, making the decision on which locations to include particularly impactful. Grimes believes that replacing the Kiwanis Recreation Center with the Smith Recreation Center would facilitate better access for underrepresented populations.

As the two centers are approximately 2.6 miles apart, Grimes asserts that there is no justification for placing two early voting sites so close together when so many residents require accessibility from additional locations. Notably, she points out that while the community college serves a largely commuter student population, not all FSU students have the same means of transportation. This highlights a critical aspect of ensuring equitable voting opportunities for all demographics.

Despite the challenges faced in reaching a consensus, Grimes expressed concern that there is a trend at play regarding the placement of early voting sites, suggesting that decisions may be influenced more by political convenience than by a genuine commitment to serve the community. She stated, “Maybe I’m a little late to the party, but I have sensed this desire, move, whatever to strategically place early voting sites where it is politically convenient, and that’s not how we should be doing elections.”

The Broader Context in North Carolina Elections

In a parallel discussion, the Guilford County Board of Elections is also grappling with early voting site selections. Chairman Eugene Lester III highlighted the importance of voting as a privilege that requires active participation from citizens. This notion was brought to the forefront when Democratic board member Carolyn Bunker proposed including early voting sites at North Carolina A&T and UNC-Greensboro for the 2026 primary election. While these locations have served as early voting sites during presidential elections, they have yet to be approved for midterm primary elections.

Historically, the North Carolina A&T site has been utilized for early voting in presidential general elections since 2004, while the UNC-Greensboro site has been in use since 2012. Both campuses have seen early voting activity since 2020 during presidential primaries. However, their absence in the current early voting plan raises questions about accessibility for students and economically disadvantaged residents in East Greensboro and south High Point, areas that Bunker argues have been disregarded in recent site selections.

Bunker also suggested adding Barber Park and Washington Terrace as additional sites, specifically located in lower socioeconomic neighborhoods, but this proposal faced rejection from the majority. Expressing her concerns about disenfranchisement, Bunker remarked, “The bottom line is, I think that they are trying to disenfranchise a certain part of the population — two parts of the population, the poor and the students.”

While the upcoming 2026 early voting plan's site selections remain pending a decision from the State Board, it is noteworthy that some counties, such as Pitt County and Wake County, continue to support early voting locations on campuses, including Eastern Carolina University and North Carolina State University, respectively. This fact illustrates a varied approach across the state concerning the accessibility of voting for students.

As discussions continue among board members, it remains uncertain how the final proposal will shape the early voting landscape in North Carolina, but the emphasis on accessibility and representation is likely to remain at the forefront of the dialogue.