Saturday is the final day for early in-person voting in New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia as the nation sits just three days away from Election Day. In North Carolina, a top swing state this cycle, much of the growth in the state’s population has come from urban and suburban areas like Mecklenburg and Wake counties, attracting more wealthy, urban Americans and college voters. The state has become more competitive, with Trump winning by a convincing margin in 2016, but that margin shrinking to 1.3 points against Biden in 2020. Down-ballot races in North Carolina include the 1st District, the 13th and 14th Districts, where Republicans are likely to flip both seats.
In West Virginia, Republicans are expected to start the night strong as they aim to flip the Senate seat held by Sen. Joe Manchin, who decided not to run for re-election. With Trump’s strong win in the state in the last presidential race, this territory is deep red, and Democrats needed Manchin on the ballot to put up a good fight. In New Mexico’s 2nd District, the race is a toss-up between Democratic Rep. Gabe Vasquez and the seat’s former Republican occupant, Yvette Herrell. In Virginia’s 2nd District, a closely watched race in 2022 and a Republican flip, Rep. Jen Kiggans faces U.S. Navy veteran Missy Cotter Smasal in a military-heavy district, while in the 7th District, which stayed in Democratic hands in 2022, it will be a face-off between two Army veterans.
Voters in these states who have received their mail-in ballots have until Nov. 5 to deliver them to local election officials. Saturday is the final day for early in-person voting. North Carolina’s landscape has changed significantly over the last decade due to population growth in urban and suburban areas, attracting more Democratic-leaning voters. In South Carolina, West Virginia, and Virginia, the race is heating up with significant down-ballot races and the final stretch of early voting before Election Day. In the key swing state of North Carolina, the Fox News Poll had the two 2024 presidential candidates just a point apart, with Democratic nominee Vice President Harris at 49% and former President Trump at 50%.
In North Carolina’s 1st District, Democratic Rep. Don Davis faces Army veteran Laurie Buckhout in a toss-up race, while in the 13th and 14th Districts, Republicans are likely to flip the seats due to redistricting. In West Virginia, the Senate seat held by Sen. Joe Manchin is expected to shift to Republicans, solidifying their position in the Senate. New Mexico’s 2nd District and Virginia’s 2nd and 7th Districts are also key races to watch as the final days of the election approach. Voting guidelines in these states indicate that voters who have received mail-in ballots have until Nov. 5 to deliver them to local election officials, with Saturday being the final day for early in-person voting.
