As 2024 gets underway, here are five things to know about the year ahead in North Carolina politics.

Number one: Keep an eye on the courts. A number of controversial anti-voter laws passed by the legislature last year are now being challenged in court.

Among those is a law that would hurt people who use same-day voter registration. Also challenged is a dangerous new law that, if allowed to go into effect, would force radical changes to our state’s elections boards – changes that could lead to partisan gridlock and unleash chaos in our elections.

Gerrymandered voting maps imposed by the Republican-controlled legislature are also being challenged in court for violating the rights of Black voters.

The outcome of these important court cases could have a big impact on our freedom to vote for years to come.

Number two: North Carolina’s March 5 primary election is fast approaching, with early voting kicking off on February 15. North Carolinians who want to vote by mail can already request an absentee ballot from their county board of elections.

One of the most closely watched races in this year’s primary will be the respective Democratic and Republican nominating contests for governor. There are also primaries for a number of other races, including lieutenant governor and a variety of Council of State positions, along with some primaries for Congress and the state legislature.

In North Carolina, voters registered with a particular party can vote only in their own party’s primary. But voters who are registered unaffiliated can choose which party’s primary they want to vote in. Learn more at NCVoterGuide.org.

Number three: State lawmakers will return to Raleigh in April to kick off the legislative even-year short session.

Along with updates to the state’s budget, it’s possible we could see a number of new and returning controversial issues during the legislature’s session. Our Common Cause team will be vigilant throughout this year’s session at the legislature, demanding transparency in the lawmaking process and opposing any attempts by politicians to undermine the voting rights of North Carolinians.

Number four: North Carolina is likely to once again be a battleground in this year’s November 5 general election.

Beyond the race for the White House, this fall’s general election will also feature a prominent contest for North Carolina governor and a seat on the state Supreme Court, along with other statewide, congressional, legislative, and local races.

In the last presidential election, in 2020, North Carolina had its highest voter turnout ever, with 75 percent of voters casting a ballot that year – a record that could be eclipsed in 2024.

Number five: To help North Carolinians prepare to make their voices heard at the ballot box, we’ve launched our #UniteNC Ready to Vote tour.

Our Common Cause team is holding nonpartisan voter education events across the state to alert the public to voting, election, and district changes, share what’s on the ballot, and get our communities ready to vote. Learn more and see upcoming tour events at ccnc.me/UniteNCed.

LEARN MORE & TAKE ACTION:

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