Voter Turnout
Overview
Discover North Carolina voter turnout in presidential and non-presidential elections over the decades. Explore the pages in this section for more information, or navigate this page with the links below.
To explore statistics and visualizations from the most recent presidential election, visit 2020 General Election Turnout.
General Election Turnout Stats
Turnout in Presidential Election Years: 1972–Present
| Election | Total Eligible Voters | Total Ballots Cast | Turnout Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 General | 7,359,798 | 5,545,848 | 75.35% |
| 2016 General | 6,914,248 | 4,769,640 | 68.98% |
| 2012 General | 6,639,131 | 4,540,488 | 68.40% |
| 2008 General | 6,262,566 | 4,354,052 | 69.53% |
| 2004 General | 5,526,981 | 3,551,675 | 64.26% |
| 2000 General | 5,122,123 | 3,015,964 | 58.88% |
| 1996 General | 4,277,000 | 2,513,357 | 58.76% |
| 1992 General | 3,817,380 | 2,611,850 | 68.40% |
| 1988 General | 3,432,040 | 2,134,370 | 62.19% |
| 1984 General | 3,270,933 | 2,239,051 | 68.45% |
| 1980 General | 2,774,844 | 1,855,833 | 66.88% |
| 1976 General | 2,553,717 | 1,677,906 | 65.70% |
| 1972 General | 2,357,645 | 1,518,612 | 64.41% |
Turnout in Non-Presidential Election Years: 1974–Present
| Election | Total Eligible Voters | Total Ballots Cast | Turnout Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 General | 7,412,050 | 3,790,202 | 51.14% |
| 2018 General | 7,089,657 | 3,755,778 | 52.98% |
| 2014 General | 6,628,521 | 2,918,052 | 44.02% |
| 2010 General | 6,172,787 | 2,700,393 | 43.57% |
| 2006 General | 5,567,424 | 2,036,451 | 36.58% |
| 2002 General | 5,003,297 | 2,349,966 | 46.97% |
| 1998 General | 4,700,799 | 2,012,149 | 42.80% |
| 1994 General | 3,635,875 | 1,533,728 | 42.18% |
| 1990 General | 3,347,635 | 2,068,904 | 61.80% |
| 1986 General | 3,080,990 | 1,591,330 | 51.65% |
| 1982 General | 2,674,787 | 1,330,630 | 49.75% |
| 1978 General | 2,430,306 | 1,135,814 | 46.74% |
| 1974 General | 2,279,646 | 1,020,367 | 44.76% |
Voting Method in Presidential Election Years: 2008–Present
| Election | Absentee By-Mail | Early Voting | Election Day In-Person | Provisional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 General | 18% | 65% | 16% | <1% |
| 2016 General | 4% | 62% | 33% | <1% |
| 2012 General | 5% | 56% | 38% | <1% |
| 2008 General | 5% | 55.5% | 38.5% | <1% |
Percentage of total voters who used each method; Source: statewide voter history
Voting Method in Non-Presidential Election Years: 2006–Present
| Election | Absentee By-Mail | Early Voting | Election Day In-Person | Provisional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 General | 5% | 53% | 42% | <1% |
| 2018 General | 3% | 52% | 44% | <1% |
| 2014 General | 2% | 37% | 60% | <1% |
| 2010 General | 2% | 33% | 64% | <1% |
| 2006 General | 2% | 19% | 78% | <1% |
Percentage of total voters who used each method; Source: statewide voter history
Primary Election Turnout Stats
Turnout in Presidential Election Years: 1988–Present
| Election | Total Eligible Voters | Total Ballots Cast | Turnout Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Primary | 7,456,236 | 1,800,118 | 24.14% |
| 2020 Primary | 6,940,995 | 2,164,731 | 31.19% |
| 2016 Primary | 6,511,143 | 2,323,590 | 35.69% |
| 2012 Primary | 6,296,759 | 2,182,675 | 34.66% |
| 2008 Primary | 5,765,303 | 2,182,215 | 36.86% |
| 2004 Primary | 5,177,764 | 846,542 | 16.35% |
| 2000 Primary | 4,930,310 | 868,593 | 17.62% |
| 1996 Primary | 4,034,233 | 781,980 | 19.38% |
| 1992 Primary | 3,527,187 | 975,446 | 27.66% |
| 1988 Primary | 3,191,502 | 953,759 | 29.88% |
Turnout in Non-Presidential Election Years: 1990–Present
| Election | Total Eligible Voters | Total Ballots Cast | Turnout Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Primary | 7,236,469 | 1,432,819 | 19.80% |
| 2018 Primary | 6,674,290 | 957,627 | 14.35% |
| 2014 Primary | 6,516,126 | 1,028,600 | 15.79% |
| 2010 Primary | 6,105,831 | 880,128 | 14.41% |
| 2006 Primary | 5,460,054 | 651,086 | 11.92% |
| 2002 Primary | 4,999,736 | 1,060,667 | 21.21% |
| 1998 Primary | 4,547,438 | 805,319 | 17.71% |
| 1994 Primary | 3,544,095 | 430,838 | 12.16% |
| 1990 Primary | 3,147,867 | 538,651 | 17.11% |