深夜福利

This post will be updated frequently on May 17, 2022 with the latest information and breaking news on Election Day in North Carolina. The latest updates will be entered at the top with timestamps. Scroll down for older updates.

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Today鈥檚 primary election brought out many conservative voters in Fuquay-Varina.

At Ballentine Elementary School conservative residents were eager to vote for change. Donn Swisher and his wife say they have concerns about abortion and immigration.

鈥淲e're pro life, we can't see killing babies even if they're unborn. The border needs to be closed," Swisher said.

Other conservatives like Charlotte Campbell said they want candidates closely aligned with former President Donald Trump.

鈥淕et the right people voted in now specifically I'm going by what Trump wanted so that he can go along with the agenda," Campbell said.

Voting sites close tonight at 7:30 p.m. 鈥� Sharryse Piggott, 深夜福利

NC.GOP

This election year sees Alamance County as now part of the longtime Democratic U.S. Congressional 4th District that is represented by David Price.

Alamance, a traditional Republican stronghold sandwiched between progressive neighbors Guilford and Orange counties, had been represented by conservative lawmakers Mark Walker and, most recently, Ted Budd.

Price, who has served since 1997, announced in October that he would not seek re-election.

Eight Democrats and two Republicans are on Tuesday鈥檚 ballots. The winners of each of those races will face off in November for the congressional seat. 鈥� Joe Jurney, 深夜福利

Voters were still trickling into the Ballentine Elementary School in Fuquay-Varina late Tuesday afternoon.

Celeste Gracia

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There are many important political issues to Cherry Riddick, but women鈥檚 rights is top of mind for her.

鈥淭here are so many other things that are at stake at this time," Riddick said. "So, it's important for us to cast our votes and make our voices heard."

Graham Hooten's top concern is Russia's war in Ukraine.

鈥淚 think it's as important of an election season as there has been in a long time," Hooten said. "It seems like everyone says that pretty much every time there's an election... But I think the future of this country has never seemed more challenging from an economic and foreign events standpoint.鈥�

Jonathan Pearson says he tries to make it to every election possible.

鈥淚 think whether it be our local appeals judges or our senators 鈥� it鈥檚 all important to me," Pearson said. "I think local elections, oftentimes, get swept under the rug, but I try to pay just as much attention to those.鈥�

Pearson adds that there鈥檚 not a specific candidate he supports, but he does research before voting. 鈥� Celeste Gracia, 深夜福利

It was hard even finding a parking space at the Durham County Main Library mid-day on Tuesday. Part of the reason was many patrons visiting the brand-new library. And then there are those coming to vote 鈥� like Isaac Cheek.

鈥淚鈥檓 a Democrat so, I鈥檓 going for all Democrats. Period,鈥� Cheek said. 鈥淏ut you know what, it鈥檚 a lot of Democrats running against Democrats. I know, I know. But I鈥檓 from the old school. I鈥檓 going with the ones that got that experience. That鈥檚 who I vote for. And I鈥檓 going to leave it like that.鈥�

One of the most contested races is for U.S. House District 4 and which Democrat will likely fill the seat of retiring Congressman David Price. 鈥� Leoneda Inge, 深夜福利

According to , ballots cast early or by-mail in North Carolina have nearly doubled this election cycle when compared to 2018, the last midterm election.

In 2018, about 295,000 votes were cast early or by-mail. By 6 a.m. Tuesday, more than 580,000 North Carolinians had voted early or by-mail, and votes were still coming in, according to the state board of elections.

鈥淲e have never seen a midterm primary with that number of early votes,鈥� J. Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College, told the New York Times. 鈥淚t is either indicative of increased mobilization and energy among the electorate, or it鈥檚 a substitution effect of folks who would have voted today simply voting early.鈥�

Bitzer added that the most early votes had come in the 11th Congressional District, where the controversy-ridden Madison Cawthorn is seeking reelection to the U.S. House. Cawthorn has been endorsed by former President Donald Trump. 鈥� Mitchell Northam, 深夜福利

A steady stream of voters are casting ballots at the Durham County Library.

Devin Hunter wears a tag around his neck reading 鈥淒urham Community Outreach Team Member.鈥� And he says he is glad to see so many people voting, especially those who voted early.

鈥淭he older people have attracted the younger people, which the younger people is getting more younger people to vote. You understand what I鈥檓 saying? So, we鈥檙e making it look cool. It鈥檚 cool,鈥� Hunter says. 鈥淪o, it鈥檚 not really like a stutter step. Right now, people are getting more active.鈥�

Hunter says one of his main concerns is the rapid pace of 鈥済entrification鈥� in Durham. 鈥� Leoneda Inge, 深夜福利

Voters across North Carolina are going to the polls today for the primary elections. Voters are choosing candidates in local, state and federal races.

Alison Freeman lives in Fuquay-Varina. She says she has some concerns about election security.

鈥淎bout the voting machines, about the system, about remote voting or mail-in voting, so that鈥檚 why I came down here and put my vote here, not that it stops other people, but I鈥檓 encouraged when I see voters list purged and some effort at integrity,鈥� Freeman said.

There is no evidence of any widespread election security problem. Many voters say they鈥檙e most worried about inflation. 鈥� Celeste Gracia, 深夜福利

North Carolina's elections director says voting is going smoothly in Tuesday's primary election.

Karen Brinson Bell says some polling sites in Gates, Warren and Wilson counties may have opened late.

She says the State Board of Elections will decide if those precincts should stay open past 7:30 p.m., which is the standard closing time. 鈥� Bradley George, 深夜福利

Sharryse Piggott

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At Ballentine Elementary School in Fuqua-Varina, campaigners lined up early to meet voters as they walked toward the polls.

For Sandi Gossard, there was one issue at the top of her mind above all else.

"The way inflation is going 鈥� it needs to go in a new direction," she said.

Craig Owens of Fuqua-Varina is concerned about inflation too.

"I'm not really interested at this time, but I'm hoping to fix gas prices, inflation issues and open up the Alaskan pipelines," Owens said.

Celeste Gracia

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For Wilson Curtis Waynewright Jr., where candidates stood on climate change and voting rights were important factors for him in deciding who to vote for.

"I appreciate the democracy that we live in," . "I'm a veteran of the Air Force and I'm 79 years old, and there's not going to be many more times that I vote."

Another local voter, Alison Freeman, said she compared notes with friends Monday night before going to vote on Tuesday.

"I am a conservative so I was leaning toward conservative candidates. I did careful research," Freeman said. "We compared notes and made our decision. This was a very systematic way of doing it."

Polls are open until 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. 鈥� Sharryse Piggott and Celeste Gracia, 深夜福利

Cheri Beasley is the clear front-runner in her 11-candidate primary for the Democratic Senate nomination. If she prevails in November, Beasley would be the state鈥檚 first Black senator 鈥� and just the third African American woman ever elected to the chamber.

Donald Trump's safest bet on Tuesday might be Ted Budd, who has overcome a slow start to emerge from 14 Republican primary candidates, including former Gov. Pat McCroy, as a favorite in North Carolina's Republican Senate primary.

鈥淭rump is the most important factor,鈥� said David McLennan, a political science professor at Meredith College in the state capital of Raleigh, who also noted that another conservative group, anti-tax Club for Growth Action, has paid for pro-Budd advertising. 鈥淭rump鈥檚 endorsement turned the tide for him.鈥�

The former president鈥檚 support may also swing U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn鈥檚 race to keep his seat from North Carolina despite recent blunders, and political novice Bo Hines鈥� efforts to win the House nomination for a seat representing a district covering parts of Raleigh and points south.

鈥淩ecently, he made some foolish mistakes, which I don鈥檛 believe he鈥檒l make again," former President Donald Trump said in a statement on Monday. 鈥淟et's give Madison a second chance.鈥� 鈥� The Associated Press

It鈥檚 Primary Day in North Carolina and several major questions may receive answers.

In the Republican U.S. Senate primary, will Ted Budd defeat Pat McCrory to earn the nomination and all but end the former Governor鈥檚 political career?

Can Madison Cawthorn overcome a mountain of transgressions and a bevy of candidates or have his constituents had enough?

And in the races to replace retiring Congressmen GK Butterfield and David Price, will voters support establishment or very progressive candidates?

Nearly 600,000 people cast ballots in the early voting period, and this mid-term primary could see turnout that surpasses 20%. Polls are open until 7:30 p.m. Candidates finishing first in any race need 30% to avoid a run-off. Otherwise, the top candidates will move on to a late July second primary. 鈥� Jeff Tiberii, 深夜福利

This post is compiled and edited by Mitchell Northam, Elizabeth Baier and Joe Jurney.