The battle for the White House is heating up in North Carolina, with both major candidates making a final push to secure the crucial state’s 16 electoral votes. Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris held overlapping rallies in the state on Wednesday, just six days before the election, showcasing the close race brewing in this key battleground.
Recent polls indicate a tight contest, with Trump slightly ahead of Harris in some surveys. A Marist Poll released on October 24th found Trump leading Harris by 2 percentage points among likely voters, 50% to 48%. Notably, Trump also holds a lead among Independent voters, 53% to 42%, according to the same poll.
However, a Quinnipiac University poll released a week earlier showed Harris with a slim advantage over Trump, 49% to 47%. The differing poll results highlight the closeness of the race and the potential for swings in voter sentiment in the final days before the election.
Early voting numbers in North Carolina are already impressive, with nearly 3.2 million ballots cast as of Tuesday. This represents 40.7% of the state’s registered voter population.
Dr. Lee M. Miringoff, director of the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, emphasized the significance of North Carolina’s electoral votes in the context of the national race. He noted that the state’s 16 electoral votes could potentially offset Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes in the scramble to reach the magic number of 270 needed to win the presidency. However, Miringoff also pointed out that Trump has carried North Carolina in both 2016 and 2020, indicating that the outcome of the race might hinge on factors like voter turnout and the performance of other candidates on the ballot.
With just a few days left until Election Day, the focus in North Carolina, like many other states, is on getting out the vote and mobilizing supporters. The outcome of the race in North Carolina could have a significant impact on the final result of the 2024 presidential election, making it a state to watch closely as we approach November 5th.
