NC 2018 Elections: Key Races To Watch

CHARLOTTE, NC — Election Day 2018 is here. To make things easier, Patch has pulled together a handy guide with key things to know about candidates, key races, polling places and more to prepare you for the voting booth on Tuesday, Nov. 6.

While voting has largely been moving smoothly throughout the state, some precincts in Wake County reported Tuesday morning that ballots could not be fed through tabulators due to high humidity, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics. “When ballots cannot be read by tabulators, they are stored securely in ‘emergency bins’ and will be tabulated as soon as possible, NCSBE said in a statement. “All ballots will be counted.”

Return to Patch on election night for the latest vote tally. Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results. Stay up-to-date on election results by subscribing to free Patch News Alerts.

RELATED: 2018 Election Results: Vote A Referendum On 'Trump's GOP'

Voter Information

• Polls across North Carolina open Nov. 6 at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

• Still not sure whether you're registered to vote? You can check here.
• If you're not sure where to vote, you can find your polling place here.

Sample Ballots
Curious about what your ballot will look like on Nov. 6? Check the links below for a glance at what you'll find inside the booth on Election Day. Note: In some counties, you'll need to enter your address to get a peek at your sample ballot.

• Mecklenburg County
• Iredell County

Voting Rights

If you're already registered to vote, you do not need to show your ID in order to cast your ballot — you only need to state your name and address.

People with criminal records in North Carolina — including felonies — are eligible to vote once they have completed their sentences (but should re-register to vote upon their release). Those who have been arrested or sentenced for a misdemeanor crime still retain the right to vote, even if they’re in jail.

Recent Patch coverage:

• Budd Keeps Congress Seat, Defeats Manning: 2018 Election Results
• Mecklenburg 2018 Election: Real Time Results, 9th District Race
• 2018 Midterm Election: Record Early Voter Turnout in NC
• Voter ID, Victim Rights Amendments Pass: 2018 Election
• High Humidity Temporarily Snags Voting In Parts Of North Carolina
• Here's How Many People Vote In North Carolina
• How Politically Engaged Is North Carolina: Rankings

Meaning Of The Midterms

The 2018 midterms could be one for the record books in North Carolina, at least when it comes to voter turnout. The North Carolina State Board of Elections said Saturday afternoon that early voting totals were at least 73 percent higher than the 2014 midterms, with more than 2 million votes cast. That number represents a voter turnout of 29 percent of the the state’s total registered voters.

There’s a lot at stake for North Carolina voters, starting with how the election will break — or possibly maintain — the 8-year-running GOP supermajority in the General Assembly that gives the political party a veto-proof edge in passing legislation without the governor’s signature. Breaking up the supermajority could be done if Democrats are able to successfully flip six state Senate or four state House seats, The Charlotte Observer said.

Could North Carolina’s apparently enthusiastic voters be a bellwether for the midterms nationwide, signaling a political shift? With pundits making their guesses whether the 2018 midterms could be a "blue wave" or "red tide," it's tough to say.

On a national level, Democrats need to flip 23 Republican-held seats in order to take control of the U.S. House, and two of the most competitive races are in North Carolina, according to the New York Times. One congressional race where North Carolina Democrats believe they can do just that is in the Charlotte-metro region. Republican Mark Harris and Democrat Dan McCready are battling to fill North Carolina's 9th District congressional seat, which is currently held by Republican Robert Pittenger, who lost the bid to stay on the ballot during his party's primary election earlier in the year.

As of mid-October, McCready had well outpaced Harris in fundraising, bringing in about $4.8 million to his $1.8 million, according to OpenSecrets.org. In a national election largely seen as a referendum on President Trump, this matchup is where the rubber meets the road in the Tar Heel State. Trump has traveled to North Carolina twice in recent months to help Harris’ campaign, including a GOP fundraiser in August at Charlotte’s Carmel Country Club, as well as more recently on Oct. 26, when he held a rally at the Bojangles’ Coliseum.

North of Charlotte, another Republican incumbent is battling to keep the 13th District House seat under GOP control. Republican Congressman Ted Budd faces opposition from Democrat Kathy Manning, who is an attorney from Greensboro. Budd has criticized Manning for funding her campaign with money from outside the state — which Politifact determined was true — but he was also beneficiary of the August Trump fundraiser in Charlotte, which sought to also raise money for Harris’ campaign. The event boasted tickets costing as much as $25,000 each, The Charlotte Observer reported.

North Carolina Races To Watch

U.S. House, NC 9th District

• Dan McCready (D)
• Mark Harris (R)

You can find real time returns for the 9th congressional district race here.

U.S. House, NC 13th District

• Kathy Manning (D)
• Tom Bailey (L)
• Ted Budd (R)
• Robert Corriher (G)

You can find real time results for the 13th congressional district race here.

US. House, NC 2nd District

• George E.B. Holding (R)
• Linda Coleman (D)
• Jeff Matemu (L)

Ballot Amendments
North Carolina's 2018 ballot will also include six amendments, all put forward and endorsed by the GOP-led General Assembly. The state's Democratic party, however, is encouraging voters to vote against all six proposed changes to the state constitution. It's rare for voters to encounter so many proposed changes at once, according to the News & Observer.

Each ballot question, which are linked below, will allow voters to select "For" or "Against" on the following issues:

• Require Photographic Identification To Vote: Details about how this would be implemented are scant and the legislature would be tasked with writing the details should it pass.
• Legislature To Control Judicial Appointments: This proposed change would curtail the governor's power to fill judicial vacancies, giving it to legislators.

• Cap Maximum State Income Tax At 7 percent: This amendment would lower the current 10-percent cap, and would not alter the current personal income tax rate for voters, which is 5.499 percent, the News & Observer said.
• Party Leaders In Legislature To Control Ethics and Elections Board Appointments; Eliminate Nonpartisan Representation on Board: Much like the judicial appointment amendment, this amendment would strip the governor's ability to choose members of the elections board, while bestowing it to the legislature. This measure would also shrink the current nine-member panel down to eight (with each party filling them with four representatives) by eliminating the nonpartisan position.
• Changes To Current Victims' Rights Amendment: expands rights for victims of felony crimes.

• Right To Hunt And Fish: This amendment would protect the right to do both in the state’s constitution.

Local races

• Mecklenburg County Voter Guide
• Iredell County Voter Guide