Thursday marked the first day of early voting for the May 6 primary, and in Orange County, 472 residents cast their ballots at five polling locations.

The Seymour Center in Chapel Hill was the busiest site by a narrow margin: 134 voters cast ballots there, while 132 cast their ballots at the Board of Elections office in Hillsborough. 104 voters cast ballots at Carrboro Town Hall, and 23 people voted at Master’s Garden Preschool in Hillsborough.

The most closely-watched statistic may be for the polling site at NC Hillel, where 79 residents cast ballots Thursday. Located slightly off campus, NC Hillel was the site chosen by elections officials partly to accommodate student voters—though some argued that an on-campus location would have made it easier for students to vote.

The vote count for Thursday greatly surpasses the early-voting total for the first day of early voting in the 2010 primary—when only 114 people cast ballots at two locations. (One of those locations was Morehead Planetarium on campus, where 56 people cast votes.) Nearly 1300 voters cast ballots on the first full day of early voting for the 2012 primary, but that was a presidential election year.

Related Stories
‹
Early Voting Turnout Way Up From 2010
Orange County voters cast early ballots in 2014 - up from about 16,500 in the 2010 midterm.
Early Voting Turnout Still High In OC
Orange County is on track to see more than 20,000 early votes cast - much higher turnout than in 2010.
With Senate Race Still Close, Voter Turnout Is High In OC
Election Day is a week away, and many races are coming down to the wire.
2025 Early Voting in Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties is Underway; Here's Where to Go
Early voting in North Carolina begins on Thursday morning, helping bring the local election season to a crescendo across 16 days.
Creative ‘I Voted’ Stickers Branch out Beyond the Familiar Flag Design
Whether scenic or slightly sinister — angry werewolf, anyone? — the designs on the front of “I Voted” stickers are attracting a lot of attention this year.
Where to Vote Early in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties for the 2024 Elections
Early voting in North Carolina begins this week. Here is what to know to cast your vote in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties.
Electoral Battleground North Carolina Starts Early In-Person Voting While Recovering From Helene
Turnout for early in-person voting started strong Thursday in the presidential battleground of North Carolina, including the western region.
Orange County Changes 203 S. Greensboro Street as Early Voting Site, Citing Construction Timeline
An impending election combined with ongoing construction of Carrboro's new library is leading to change an early voting location.
Carrboro: Power 100 Honors, 203 Project for Early Voting, and Fourth of July
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee calls in to speak with 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell on Friday, June 28.
Runoff Election Day is Here. Here's What You Need to Know to Vote in Orange County.
Election Day voting for North Carolina's two outstanding primary elections and Orange County School Board's runoff will run through 7:30 p.m.
›