BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — More than 7,000 people voted early in Buncombe County on the first day of voting, an increase of more than 50% compared with the first day of the 2022 midterms.
At Skyland/South Buncombe Library, one of the county’s busiest early voting sites, voters described the wait as manageable and said casting a ballot was important to them.
“It’s one of the most important things we can do right now,” said Pat Baker, a registered Democrat voter. “We need to stand up for our country, and we feel like showing up is what we need to do right now.”
The turnout also differed by party registration. More than 3,500 registered Democrats and about 2,800 unaffiliated voters cast ballots on the first day, compared with about 680 registered Republicans.
Ken Hawkins, a registered Republican, encouraged people to vote regardless of party…