Accepted in-person early voting and mail-in ballots from Latino voters in North Carolina tripled compared with the equivalent period of the 2022 midterm elections, according to an Enlace Latino NC analysis of the State Board of Elections data.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026, the state had recorded approximately 59,990 accepted ballots associated with unique Latino voter identifiers, compared with about 19,460 during the equivalent period in 2022. This represents an increase of nearly 208%, far exceeding the approximately 36% increase recorded statewide.
The analysis compares the first 13 days of in-person early voting in both elections and includes mail-in ballots accepted through the respective cutoff dates.
The share of accepted ballots cast by Latino voters also increased, from approximately 1.35% in 2022 to 3.06% in 2026.
Growth in the Latino electorate could explain part of the increase, but not necessarily its full magnitude, according to Christopher Cooper, distinguished professor of political science and public affairs and director of the Haire Institute for Public Policy at Western Carolina University.
“Part of the increase is due to the larger number of people who identify as Hispanic and Latino, but that’s not the whole story,” Cooper told Enlace Latino NC. “Clearly the increase is real.”
The political scientist noted that the data also point to potentially greater motivation to vote among Latinos, although the figures are preliminary.
“Thus far, it appears that the Latino electorate is motivated to vote—time will tell if that continues on election day,” he said.
