The final day of one-stop voting before Tuesday’s primary brought long lines to polling stations in the state's largest cities on Saturday.
Voting officials in both Charlotte and Raleigh described hours-long waits as voters lined up at so-called one-stop polling places, where they could both cast ballots and register to vote. The polling stations closed at 1 p.m.
Some people waited for as long as two hours to vote at W.T. Harris Boulevard in University City. "I hate waiting, but I love that there are so many people," said Laura Kehrer, 22, who was standing in line with her sister Rebecca Kehrer. Kehrer said election officials had to change the direction of the line so people weren't standing in the boulevard to vote.
As of Friday afternoon, more than 28,000 people had voted early in Mecklenburg County. Four years ago, only 5,000 people voted early.
The story was similar in Wake County. “We’ve got lines everywhere,” said Cherie Poucher, director of the Wake County Board of Elections. “I think they’re wrapped around every building. And we’re processing them as quick as we can.” People still in line at 1 p.m. would be allowed to vote, she said.