North Carolina begins sending out absentee ballots for presidential election

Craig Nigrelli

ELECTION DAY IN AMERICA IS EXACTLY SIX WEEKS FROM TODAY.  BUT IN ONE KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE, **TODAY** IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DAY.

ABSENTEE BALLOTS ARE GOING OUT TO STATE RESIDENTS IN NORTH CAROLINA, WHO REQUESTED THEM.  IT’S ACTUALLY TWO WEEKS LATER THAN ANTICIPATED DUE TO LEGAL CHALLENGES.

THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS RECEIVED MORE THAN 200,000 REQUESTS, INCLUDING ALMOST 20,000 FROM MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS.  THOSE BALLOTS TO MILITARY MEMBERS ACTUALLY WENT OUT, LATE LAST WEEK, ELECTRONICALLY.

STATE LAW HAD DIRECTED THE FIRST ABSENTEE BALLOTS TO BE DISTRIBUTED, EARLIER THIS MONTH, ON SEPTEMBER 6TH, WHICH WOULD HAVE MADE NORTH CAROLINA **FIRST IN THE NATION**.

HOWEVER, THE WITHDRAWAL OF INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE ROBERT F. KENNEDY JUNIOR, FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE, COMPLICATED MATTERS.  APPEALS COURT JUDGES PREVENTED BALLOTS THAT CONTAINED HIS NAME FROM GOING OUT, BECAUSE KENNEDY WANTED HIS NAME REMOVED.   HE HAS SINCE, ENDORSED DONALD TRUMP.

ELECTIONS OFFICES, STATEWIDE, WERE FORCED TO PRINT NEW BALLOTS AND RE-DO ABSENTEE VOTER PACKETS.   THOSE MAIL-IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 7:30 ON ELECTION NIGHT.  MILITARY AND OVERSEAS VOTERS HAVE A DIFFERENT DEADLINE.

NORTH CAROLINA IS A KEY SWING STATE WITH 16 ELECTORAL VOTES.   DONALD TRUMP NARROWLY WON THE STATE IN BOTH 2020 AND 2016, BY LESS THAN FOUR PERCENTAGE POINTS.   A NEW YORK TIMES/SIENA COLLEGE POLL THAT STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS TOLD YOU ABOUT YESTERDAY,  SHOWS TRUMP WITH A TWO-POINT LEAD OVER KAMALA HARRIS 49-TO-47.  AS A RESULT OF THE TIGHT RACE, BOTH CANDIDATES HAVE SPENT TIME CAMPAIGNING IN THE STATE.