This post will be updated frequently on Nov. 3, 2020 with the latest information and breaking news on election night in North Carolina. The latest updates will be entered at the top with timestamps. Scroll down for older updates.
Check out our 2020 Voter Guide for information on absentee ballots and more. Also read our Races to Watch stories in statewide and local legislative elections. Be sure to subscribe to WUNC's Politics Podcast for analysis.
12:20 p.m.
View a complete list of winners for the U.S. House of Representatives for North Carolina. Democrats flipped two seats, while two other closely contested races went in the GOP's favor.
More analysis from the Associated Press here. - Natalie Dudas-Thomas, WUNC
11:40 p.m.
The Associated Press has declared the following races:
- Republican U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 8th Congressional District.
- Republican Dan Bishop has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 9th Congressional District.
- Democrat Deborah Ross has won election to U.S. House in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District.
- Associated Press
10:43 p.m.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has been reelected, defeating Republican challenger Lt. Gov. Dan Forest.
The mild-mannered governor has often been reluctant to criticize President Donald Trump. He has been generally praised for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. However, some complained he was slow to reopen K-12 public schools and certain parts of the economy.
Forest often criticized the shuttering of small businesses, including bars, bowling alleys and gyms.
Read more about the win here. - Associated Press
10:30 p.m.
North Carolina has hit a milestone for civic engagement. The state reached record voter turnout for the 2020 election with 71.66% ballots reported thus far.
BREAKING: North Carolina has hit record voter turnout with 71.66% ballots reported thus far.
— WUNC (@wunc) November 4, 2020
We're still waiting on 19% of precincts to report, so this number will definitely rise as the night goes on. #ncpol
- Natalie Dudas-Thomas, WUNC
10:15 p.m.
A wave of election results are in from the Associated Press:
- Democrat David Price has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 4th Congressional District.
- Democrat G.K. Butterfield has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District.
- Republican Virginia Foxx has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 5th Congressional District.
- Democrat Kathy Manning has won election to U.S. House in North Carolina's 6th Congressional District.
- Republican David Rouzer has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 7th Congressional District.
- Republican Greg Murphy has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 3rd Congressional District. - Associated Press
10 p.m.
The lead that Joe Biden held in North Carolina earlier tonight has now narrowed to less than a percentage point. Here is a quick look at the tight races across the state according to statistics from the Associated Press:
- Biden has 2.507M votes while Trump has 2.462M votes
- Tillis has 2.504M votes while Cunningham has 2.379M votes
- Cooper has 2.602M votes while Forest has 2.295M votes
- Laura Pellicer, WUNC
9:28 p.m.
Republican Madison Cawthorn has been elected to represent a western North Carolina U.S. House district.
The rising GOP star’s win in the 11th Congressional District allows him to fill a vacant seat previously held by Republican Rep. Mark Meadows, who left to serve as President Donald Trump’s chief of staff. Cawthorn defeated Democrat and retired U.S. Air Force Col. Moe Davis.
The 25-year-old Cawthorn will be one of the youngest people to ever serve in the U.S. Congress. He first drew attention after defeating Trump’s preferred candidate in an upset in the June GOP primary runoff.
Cawthorn, who was left partially paralyzed from a car accident, delivered a speech at the Republican National Convention in August during which he stood up from his wheelchair with the help of a walker. - Associated Press
9 p.m.
North Carolina's first results are now being reported.
According to results from The Associated Press, Republican Ted Budd has won reelection to the U.S. House in North Carolina's 13th Congressional District.
Republican Patrick McHenry has won reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 10th Congressional District.
BREAKING: Republican Ted Budd wins reelection to U.S. House in North Carolina's 13th Congressional District. #APracecall at 8:55 p.m. EST. #Election2020 #NCelection https://t.co/lGfinjTqT4
— AP Politics (@AP_Politics) November 4, 2020
8:50 p.m.
As election results trickle in, here is a look at the numbers and the money behind state races.
Of the 170 North Carolina legislative races, at least 100 will be easy to call — and that’s a conservative read.
If everything held with results as currently in, the NC Senate would split exactly 25-25, with Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Yvonne Holley tracking to win and able to break the tie.
— Jason deBruyn (@jasondebruyn) November 4, 2020
Caveat: This is early. A long way left to go#ElectionNight #Election2020
It’s likely that control of the Senate could come down to just four races. Right now, Republicans have 29 seats and Democrats have 21. But redrawn maps almost certainly mean two pickups for Democrats. That means Democrats have to net three more seats to reach Senate control.
When it comes to campaign costs, since July candidates in the four most competitive state Senate races have raised a combined total of more than $9.2 million, more than 20% of the total of all legislative campaigns. In the third quarter of 2018, the most expensive Senate races brought in less than half that.
Democrats outraised Republicans in North Carolina legislative races this year about $27 million to $24 million.
Gov. Roy Cooper had been outraising challenger Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest early in the year. Cooper spent much of those funds in the third quarter — Cooper spent $30 million in that time and Forest spent just $5 million. - Jason deBruyn and Jeff Tiberii, WUNC
8:15 p.m.
Several hundred protesters returned this afternoon to downtown Graham, N.C., for an Election Day "March to the Polls." The demonstrators engaged in a largely "silent" march, and were encouraged to stay on sidewalks and not engage with law enforcement.
Organizers stress that this event is a SILENT march to the polls. No chants, participants must stay on the sidewalks and they shouldn't engage with local law enforcement. pic.twitter.com/NvJWzHSjxa
— Naomi Prioleau (@naomiprioleau) November 3, 2020
On Saturday, sheriff's deputies and police pepper-sprayed marchers in the same location. - Dave DeWitt, WUNC
7:35 p.m.
Polls closed across most North Carolina precints at 7:30 p.m. Anyone who was in line at that time will be allowed to cast a vote.
The North Carolina State Board of Election decided to extend voting time past the standard 7:30 p.m. closure at six precincts. These six extensions come in addition to the four granted at an emergency Elections Board meeting earlier today.
The longest extension was 45 minutes for a site in Sampson County. That means the state can’t publicly report any statewide results until 8:15 p.m.
State elections officials said in a news release last week that if hours are extended at any polls, they wouldn’t publicly post any results until all polls are closed.
If 1 million people vote Tuesday, that would establish a new all-time turnout high for an election in North Carolina.
Most polls are closing in North Carolina in 5 minutes, but four polling places are staying open up to 45 minutes later because they opened late.
— WUNC (@wunc) November 4, 2020
This means the state can’t publicly report any statewide results until 8:15 p.m. #ncpol #ElectionDay2020 https://t.co/Mj2AXTkK8z
– Celeste Gracia, Laura Pellicer, WUNC and Associated Press
