Good morning, readers.
Early voting for the 2024 primary elections is two weeks underway.
So far, 15,526 people have cast ballots in Durham County, 32,971 in Wake, and 6,584 in Orange. Cumulatively, that is about how many people it takes to pack NC State’s Carter–Finley Stadium. Across the three counties, 1.17 million people are registered to vote altogether (that’s twenty stadiums worth!).
With Election Day on the horizon, candidates running in local and state races are pumping up the visibility, with some hanging out at the polls and others inundating my nightly Jeopardy! screenings with ads about Woke soup. Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley are also making appearances in the Triangle this week: Harris will be in Durham on Friday to talk economic growth with Gov. Roy Cooper and Haley will visit Raleigh on Saturday to rally support for her asphyxiating presidential campaign.
President Biden made a campaign stop in Durham in January, touting broadband funding to a crowd that politely oohed and ahhed.
North Carolina is typically a focus for national candidates ahead of Super Tuesday but rallying votes in the state is especially pivotal for Democrats this year as the voter ID law that went into effect in the fall could impact turnout.
In recent presidential election cycles, North Carolina’s primary turnout has hovered around 30 percent. Check out all of our primary election coverage here.
Have a good Wednesday, everyone.
-Lena
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Durham
Bull City Summit, a new music and technology festival, seemed like it might bring big crowds to downtown Durham. But some small business partners say the founder’s big promises didn’t add up, and now, he’s charged with fraud.
Get to know incumbent Durham county commissioner Nimasheena Burns, who is running for reelection.
Wake
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission revoked Raleigh HBCU St. Augustine’s accreditation and the university lost its appeal of the decision. The university plans to file a lawsuit over the matter, but in the meantime it can’t accept federal funds or use Title IV funds for financial aid.
Rents in Raleigh are beginning to come down.
Orange
UNC students wrote an op-ed spotlighting income interim chancellor Lee Roberts receives from GOP megadonor Art Pope’s company Variety Wholesalers. Pope responded in a letter to the editor.
North Carolina
Gov. Roy Cooper announced that $1.3 million in federal grant money will be made available to support school breakfast programs in the state.
Today’s weather
Cloudy with a high of 76 degrees, chance of showers and storms.
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