Voter Turnout

Overview

Explore North Carolina voter turnout across decades of primaries and general elections in U.S. presidential and non-presidential election years. 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 Registered 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 Registered Voters Total Ballots Cast Turnout Percentage
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 One-Stop 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

Primary Election Turnout Stats

Turnout in Presidential Election Years: 1988-Present

Election Total Registered Voters Total Ballots Cast Turnout Percentage
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 Registered Voters Total Ballots Cast Turnout Percentage
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%
https://www.ncsbe.gov/results-data/voter-turnout