North Carolinians will cast their ballots on Super Tuesday for the first time next week. Although we join 13 other states in voting that day, some pundits argue North Carolina is the key state, even “ground zero” in this presidential election cycle.
Host Frank Stasio talks to WUNC Capitol Bureau Chief Jeff Tiberii about why North Carolina is receiving national attention not only for the top of the ticket, but for several high-stakes statewide races as well: Governor, Attorney General and U.S. Senate. And WUNC Education Reporter Liz Schlemmer explains why legislators decided to move North Carolina’s primary date and what the move to Super Tuesday means for candidates down-ballot.
Stasio also talks to Kerry Haynie about the historical context of Super Tuesday, the idea of a national primary voting day and his take on what voters are looking for. Haynie is a professor of political science and African and African American studies at Duke University. WUNC Race and Southern Culture Reporter Leoneda Inge digs into the potential impact of North Carolina’s newest voters, those who have turned 18 since the last presidential election or newly naturalized citizens.
North Carolina’s Hispanic population grew faster than the white population in 98 of the state’s 100 counties from 2010 to 2017. What role will the Latinx electorate play in November? Sergio Garcia-Rios shares his polling and research on this demographic group and the issues that bring them to the ballot box on election day. Garcia-Rios is a professor of government and Latina/o Studies at Cornell University and the polling director for Univision News.
Find your one-stop early voting polling place and same-day registration rules here.