2021 Municipal Election Turnout
Overview
In 2021, 463 municipalities across 91 counties held elections. More than 890 contests determined mayors, council members, aldermen, and other local seats. More than 2,500 candidates filed to run for office in 2021. To view candidate listings, visit our Candidate Lists page.
Below, explore turnout statistics for the October and November 2021 municipal elections, as well as comparative statistics for recent municipal election years.
Note: The 2021 data does not include 30+ municipalities that postponed their elections to 2022 (see Elections Postponed in Several North Carolina Municipalities).
Overall Turnout
In 2021, more than 338,000 North Carolinians voted in at least one municipal election. This section contains turnout statistics for the October and November municipal elections.
2021 Municipal Elections Voter Turnout
In the table below, see the breakdown of voter turnout by election.
| Election | Voters Registered in Municipalities Holding Elections | Ballots Cast in Municipal Elections | % Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/5/2021 | 314,052 | 28,748 | 9% |
| 11/2/2021 | 2,081,396 | 336,410 | 16% |
2021 Municipal Elections Voter Turnout by Voting Method
In the table below, see the percentages of voters who voted by mail, in person during early voting, in person on Election Day, and provisionally.
| Election | By Mail | Early Voting | In Person on Election Day | Provisional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/5/2021 | 2% | 39% | 58% | <1% |
| 11/2/2021 | 1.5% | 26% | 72% | <1% |
Comparative Statistics
Explore the turnout data for all participating municipalities during the three previous municipal election years below. For all previous elections results, visit the Election Results Dashboard.
2019 Municipal Elections Voter Turnout
In 2019, more than 630,000 North Carolina voters voted in at least one municipal election. In the table below, see the breakdown of voter turnout by election.
| Election | Voters Registered in Municipalities Holding Elections | Ballots Cast in Municipal Elections | % Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/10/2019 | 530,697 | 114,876* | 22%* |
| 10/8/2019 | 917,916 | 118,835 | 13% |
| 11/5/2019 | 3,073,903 | 500,640 | 16% |
*For the 9/10/2019 election, City of Charlotte voters voted for municipal contests as well as a federal contest.
2017 Municipal Elections Voter Turnout
In 2017, more than 650,000 North Carolina voters voted in at least one municipal election. In the table below, see the breakdown of voter turnout by election.
| Election | Voters Registered in Municipalities Holding Elections | Ballots Cast in Municipal Elections | % Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/12/2017 | 588,267 | 45,140 | 8% |
| 10/10/2017 | 1,323,322 | 158,036 | 12% |
| 11/7/2017 | 3,569,497 | 600,443 | 17% |
2015 Municipal Elections Voter Turnout
In 2015, more than 485,000 North Carolina voters voted in at least one municipal election. In the table below, see the breakdown of voter turnout by election.
| Election | Voters Registered in Municipalities Holding Elections | Ballots Cast in Municipal Elections | % Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9/15/2015 | 514,043 | 45,319 | 9% |
| 10/6/2015 | 1,483,728 | 122,031 | 8% |
| 11/3/2015 | 3,090,134 | 422,016 | 14% |