(The Center Square) – With just hours to go until polls close in North Carolina, election staff predict that up to 98% of the vote will be counted and reported Tuesday night.
Those awaiting results and wanting promptness can thank Republican majorities in the Legislature that enacted integrity measures getting all ballots into election offices by the time polls close at 7:30 p.m.
Problems on Election Day resulted in the board, in an afternoon emergency session, unanimously approving 30-minute voting extensions in two precincts. Per state law, all votes cast after 7:30 p.m. in those two precincts will be considered provisional votes, to be finalized at a later time.
Even with those extensions, the Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said in the meeting she expects little delay.
Going into the final days of the election, polling had the two presidential candidates in the state statistically tied, solidifying North Carolina’s status as a toss-up.
As of Tuesday, former President Donald Trump leads by an average of 0.9% at Project 538 and by 1.2% at RealClear Polling.
Eyes will also be on the gubernatorial race in the state. The most-recent poll in the gubernatorial race has Mark Robinson, the Republican, trailing Democrat Josh Stein by 17%.
“There are a few important things to remember about election night results,” Bell said. “They are always unofficial in the days after the election. Bipartisan election officials in all 100 counties will ensure every eligible ballot is counted. They will audit and ultimately certify the results. The state board will certify final results on Nov. 26.”
