North Carolina primary live updates: What's bringing voters to the polls on Super Tuesday

As voting gets underway on Super Tuesday, scores of voters will head to the polls in North Carolina. If Donald Trump wins the state's Republican primary that would likely set up a rematch with President Joe Biden in November.

The state's gubernatorial race is also one to watch as Democrat Josh Stein and Republican Mark Robinson are party frontrunners. Once a reliable Republican stronghold, the Tar Heel State has become more competitive largely because of diverse population growth.

We'll have updates from polls across the state and the latest results as they are posted Tuesday night.

What's bringing voters to the polls?

Ron Hayes, 75, of Fayetteville, cast his ballot for Joe Biden at Smith Recreation Center in Fayetteville on Tuesday.

"I think he's done OK by me, for now," Hayes said about why he chose Biden as a presidential candidate.

Hayes said economics and taxes were issues he cared most about in the upcoming election but is unhappy with the individuals he has to choose from.

"The choices are not good," Hayes said. "We got two old white men, it would be great to have some better choices, but that's not the case."

Richard Walker, 51, of Fayetteville, rode his bike to Smith Recreation Center to cast his ballot for Joe Biden on Tuesday.

"Even though Biden is older by only three years than Trump, I can live with his little memory lapses better than I can with Donald Trump," Walker said. "I think Trump is selfish, I think he's very loud, he's not humble, he's all for himself."

Walker said the economy was a major factor in his decision of who to vote for in the presidential election.

"I think to where we were the years under Trump, I think things have tiered upward under Biden's administration," Walker said. "I like the idea of working from the bottom up instead of trickle down economics."

Tanya Walker, 62, and Gene Walker, 63, of Fayetteville, cast their ballot for Donald Trump at the Cliffdale Recreation Center.

"When he was in office, we had more small businesses starting up, more people were having jobs, costs were down," Gene Walker said. "He didn't back down and people in the world took him seriously."

"I don't like the direction our country's going in," Tanya Walker said. "I didn't embrace everything about Donald Trump, but I had to respect him for standing up for what he believes in."

The married couple said immigration was a central reason Trump received their vote.

"The borders need to be secured," Gene Walker said. "Every month they find two or three people that are on the list for terrorism."

Gene Walker stated that the immigration crisis is "setting us up for another 911."

"We have enough problems at home," Tanya Walker said. "When you've got an influx of people coming in taking resources away from individuals that are already here, veterans that have served the country, that's just wrong."

-- Joseph Pierre

When can we expect to see results for the NC primary?

Due to new voter law (Senate Bill 747 Section 29), results may be delayed by 30 to 60 minutes this election. After the polls close at 7:30 p.m., likely the first results to be shared will be absentee-by-mail ballots received before Election Day as those can be counted before polls officially close.

Data will be updated every five to 10 minutes and can be found on either the Board of Election's election results page or the election results dashboard.

Military, overseas and provisional ballots are added to the results after Election Day during canvassing.

Find out more: When to expect primary election results in North Carolina on Super Tuesday

Update on security measures for NC primary

North Carolina has seen a smooth Primary Election Day so far, said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director with the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

During a news conference Tuesday morning, Bell provided more details about security measures in place for voters statewide. The NCSBE conducts pre-election testing on equipment, performs a mock election, and ensures that equipment is sealed and transported through a predetermined secure chain of custody, Bell said.

NC election results: Here's how your vote gets counted in NC and how the Board of Elections secures the process

Additionally, for this election, NCSBE requires voters to abide by temporary voter ID restrictions meant to unify the identity verification process statewide. Poll officials will verify that photos on provided identification resemble the voter and that names are equivalent to poll records. Permanent rules are headed to the NCBSE Rules Review Commission, Bell said.

Statewide, 216 people have voted using provisional ballots or ID exemption forms, Bell said. No major issues with photo ID requirements have been reported.

As for voters who submitted their ballots by mail, 19,000 ballots have been counted across North Carolina, Bell said. While 49,000 mail-in ballots were requested, Bell said the actual number of submitted mail-in ballots can change if voters decide to vote in person on election day.

-- Molly Wilhelm

NC presidential primary to set the stage for anticipated 2024 battleground

Presidential candidates have been focusing their attention on North Carolina in the leadup to Super Tuesday, setting the groundwork for what analysts expect will be a hyper-competitive general election matchup.

North Carolina hasn’t voted for a Democratic president since Barack Obama flipped the state in 2008. But it represented Donald Trump’s narrowest margin of victory in the 2020 election when he won it by just 1.34 percentage points over Joe Biden.

Biden’s campaign is already setting its sights on an expected rematch, earlier this year installing a team of campaign staffers on the ground and committing Biden and other surrogates to appearing in the state.

Democrats dispatched Vice President Kamala Harris to Durham ahead of Super Tuesday to announce a $32 million investment from the American Rescue Plan Act, and Biden was in the state in January announcing a major investment in broadband internet infrastructure.

On the Republican side, Trump campaigned in Greensboro March 2 while his primary competitor Nikki Haley rallied supporters in Charlotte and Raleigh.

— Brianne Pfannenstiel

NC governor race key for some voters

Tad and Laura Lock, 20-year residents of Fairview, cast their votes for the primary election at the Fairview Volunteer Fire Department, amid a slow trickle of people at the voting site. Laura, 59, said alongside feeling it’s “our duty” to vote, she was motivated by three key issues — the border, the economy, and her pro-life stance.

“We like Mark Robinson to become governor because he seems to respect our values,” Tad Lock said, adding that race motivated him to come out to the polls.

Lock, 64, said his “main thing” is a desire to “get a hold of inflation.” He said he’s caring for his 90-year-old mother and has seen food prices “skyrocket.” He cast his Republican presidential primary vote for Donald Trump, he said.

Meanwhile, Dean Smith in New Hanover County said he's voting for Mark Robinson. “I love his views on what he’s going to do for this state and the gun laws,” Smith said.

— Ryley Ober, Molly Wilhelm

When are absentee ballots due in North Carolina?

If you requested an absentee ballot and have not mailed it in yet, the North Carolina State Board of Elections suggests you do not attempt mailing it today.

Per new voting law, absentee ballots must be received by your county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.

If you have an absentee ballot and have not mailed it in yet, you can either fill it out and drop it at your county board of elections office in person by 7:30 p.m. or not fill it out and instead vote in person today.

-- Sarah Gleason

More: What to know about mail-in ballots in North Carolina

What are the voting hours on Election Day in North Carolina?

Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. If you are in line by 7:30 p.m., you will be able to vote.

Where do I vote in North Carolina?

You must vote at your designated polling location. Find yours here: Election Day Polling Place Search (ncsbe.gov)

Who can vote in North Carolina?

The N.C. primary is semi-closed meaning if you are registered under a party, you must only vote in that party’s primary. If you are an unaffiliated voter, you must choose one primary to participate in.

What's on the ballot in North Carolina?

Use the sample ballot voter look up tool on the NCSBE website to preview: Sample Ballot Voter Lookup (ncsbe.gov)

Do I need an ID to vote in North Carolina?

You must bring an acceptable photo ID. A North Carolina driver's license will suffice, but there are also more than five other acceptable IDs. Voters can also bring a sample ballot or any notes into the polls. Phones can be used to look up candidate information, but taking photos, texting or making a call while voting is not allowed.

Election integrity in NC: Will photo ID requirements help or hurt voter access?

Trump, Haley, Harris visit NC ahead of Super Tuesday

The political spotlight was shining on North Carolina in the past few days with visits from Vice President Kamala Harris, presidential candidate Nikki Haley and former President Donald Trump.

VP Harris was in N.C. just days before Super Tuesday to announce a $32 million investment in women and minority-owned small businesses in Durham’s historical Black business district the “Black Wall Street.” She was joined by Gov. Roy Cooper and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo who drove home the message that the Biden administration has been intentionally investing in communities that have been left out. This was the administration’s last stop in the “Investing in America” tour. The money comes from the American Rescue Plan.

Haley visited both Raleigh and Charlotte delivering campaign remarks. She said Biden’s dropping of aid into Gaza this past weekend was sending “mixed signals.” Haley also took shots at her opponent, detesting Trump’s threat toward DC lobbyists and his plans for his daughter-in-law and North Carolina native Lara Trump to co-chair the Republican National Committee where the RNC could potentially pay for his legal fees.

In Greensboro, Trump focused his pre-Super Tuesday speech on his and Biden’s brawl at the border calling the border “an open and gushing wound.” His remarks cited illegal immigration as a cause for violent crime, using a detailed account of the death of Laken Riley as evidence. North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, who’s now running for governor, also spoke at the event, echoing Trump’s message while also pointing toward religion when speaking about the “wide open border.”

-- Sarah Gleason

What do NC polls say about Trump / Haley matchup?

The big question looms: With Nikki Haley winning only one primary so far (the District of Columbia), what are her chances against Donald Trump on Super Tuesday?

In North Carolina, the polls show a strong leaning toward support for Trump over Haley. A FiveThirtyEight average of polls showed Trump leading over Haley with 67.6% to 22.5%.

Haley has said that her plans past Super Tuesday – whether she will stay in the race or drop-out – are unclear.

Polls: Trump leads over Haley ahead of NC primary

-- Sarah Gleason

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Live updates NC primary election: What's bringing voters to the polls