CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Early voting has begun for North Carolina’s 9th Congressional District seat.
Voters can cast their ballot early in the special election primary through May 10. The primary election will be held on May 14. Most voting locations are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Since candidates for the Democratic, Libertarian, and Green parties are already set, only Republican candidates will be on the primary ballot.
To be eligible to vote in the primary, voters must live in the 9th District and be registered either Republican or unaffiliated.
Republican candidates include:
- Chris Anglin (R) attorney
- Dan Bishop (R) state senator, who is endorsed by the NCGOP
- Leigh Thomas Brown (R) realtor
- Kathie Day (R) real estate agent
- Gary M. Dunn (R) former Charlotte mayoral candidate
- Matthew Ridenhour (R) former Mecklenburg County commissioner and Iraq War veteran, endorsed by Robert Pittenger
- Stevie Rivenbark (R), sales manager
- Stony Rushing (R) Union County commissioner, endorsed by Mark Harris
- Fern Shubert (R) former state senator
- Albert Wiley Jr. (R) nuclear engineer
So far, Dan McCready is the only Democrat running.
McCready lost to Republican Mark Harris in last November's election, but the state board called for a new election after allegations of absentee ballot tampering in two counties.
So far, four people have been arrested in connection to the election fraud investigation.
The general election is currently scheduled to take place September 10, however, if no candidate receives 30 percent support or more, the top two candidates will face off in a primary runoff on September 10, and the general election will be moved to November 5.
Mecklenburg and Union counties are hoping for at least a 15 percent to 20 percent turnout. But political science professor Dr. Michael Bitzer worried ballot fatigue may set in among voters who are being asked to head to the polls again.
“It’s not going to be anywhere near the 50 percent that we saw in 2018. Probably in the possible low 30s. So that will make a major difference,” said Bitzer.