Under the Dome: Early voting ends Saturday. What polls say as Harris, Trump plan more rallies
Good morning and welcome to the Under the Dome newsletter. I’m Caitlyn Yaede.
Saturday is the last day of early voting in North Carolina and more than 3 million residents have already cast their ballots.
The presidential race remains close, according to a poll released by the UMass Lowell Center for Public Opinion on Thursday. Donald Trump polls 47% of likely voters, a near tie with Kamala Harris’ 45%.
This same poll revealed that few North Carolinians are undecided — only 4% indicated they were not sure who they would vote for president.
Early voting ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, and both candidates will take stage in the Tar Heel State in what could be their final efforts to rally support as Election Day draws near.
Harris is expected to host a rally in Charlotte, while Trump will be in nearby Gastonia and then Greensboro.
WESTERN NC TURNS OUT TO VOTE AFTER HELENE
Despite the continued recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, voters turned out to cast their ballots in the 2024 election. Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi and Kyle Ingram report that, during the first eight days of early voting, turnout in this region averaged higher than voter turnout statewide.
Still, some residents said Helene continues to disrupt voting for some in particularly hard-hit areas, like Old Fort, where the early voting location is closed. Voters were rerouting to nearby Marion. Other residents in Helene-impacted counties said personal hardships and lack of transportation after the storm also make it more difficult to vote.
Marion couple Bruce and Gail Evans lost their camper to flooding during the storm, yet made their way to Marion to cast their ballots. “There’s too much on the line,” Bruce Evans said.
The News & Observer went to early voting sites in the mountains, like the one at the McDowell County Board of Elections in Marion, and found vastly different circumstances across the region. Check out the full story.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE WORKING ON
If elected, Kamala Harris will break barriers as the first woman to hold the presidency. Supporters who visited her Raleigh rally on Wednesday shared enthusiasm over her candidacy, Dawn Vaughan reports, and women from across the state reflect on why Harris’ campaign matters to them.
Doubts being cast about the election could fuel challenges to the results. Kyle Ingram investigates how Republican-led lawsuits and election misinformation now may lay the groundwork for legal challenges later.
WHAT ELSE WE’RE READING
“Thank you” cookies sent to the Wake County Board of Elections prompted a hazmat response from the Raleigh Fire Department, ABC11 reports. While the cookies donated from Hawaii were just a “kind gesture” for election workers, according to a Wake County election specialist, others are discouraged from sending treats of their own.
VOTER GUIDE
In the latest candidate questionnaires from our 2024 NC Voter Guide, see what candidates for state Senate District 18 have to say about the issues, and learn more about their biographies.
Two candidates answered our questions:
Today’s newsletter was by Caitlyn Yaede. Check your inbox tomorrow for more #ncpol.
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This story was originally published November 1, 2024 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Under the Dome: Early voting ends Saturday. What polls say as Harris, Trump plan more rallies."