North Carolina Democrats and the Harris campaign had a big goal for this election: Raise turnout in Mecklenburg County. It didn’t happen.
Two years ago, in the U.S. Senate race, only seven of North Carolina’s 100 counties had lower voter turnout than Mecklenburg.
For Democrats, that’s a problem because Mecklenburg has the most registered Democrats in the state and the most registered Black voters in the state.
In preparation for 2024, Democrats spent millions, hired more staff and mobilized thousands of volunteers to get out of the vote for Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024. The Mecklenburg Democratic Party raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and hired numerous paid staff members.
But on Tuesday, it was essentially the same story.
The state turnout was 73% and Mecklenburg County lagged with a little more than 69%.
Only 11 counties had lower turnout: Robeson, Richmond, Pitt, Onslow, Hoke, Halifax, Edgecombe, Cumberland and Anson.
Races where lower turnout hurt Democrats
Mecklenburg’s turnout struggles were not decisive in the presidential election, which Harris lost by roughly 192,000 votes.
But the Democratic Party’s struggles in turning out its voters could be crucial in a close state House race in southeast Mecklenburg between Republican Tricia Cotham and Nicole Sidman. Cotham is currently leading by 275 votes.
And higher Mecklenburg turnout could have helped Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs win her race against Republican Jefferson Griffin. Riggs, a Democrat, is trailing Griffin by about 10,000 votes.
Black voters – and non-voters – weigh in on Harris’s loss
Along with low voter turnout, Mecklenburg County like other urban counties, including Wake, Guilford, and New Hanover shifted slightly to the right. That shift was seen across the county in mostly rural Mint Hill, affluent south Charlotte, and in precincts in neighborhoods with mostly Black residents.
Democrats hoped a Harris run would reinvigorate many Black voters sitting out past elections. WFAE spoke with Black voters and non-voters at a shopping center at Beatties Ford Road and Lasalle Street on Charlotte’s west side. Here’s what a few had to say:
- “[I] was very disappointed she didn’t do better. I just felt like Trump was a known quantity. People held their noses and voted for him because they felt like he could do a better job with the economy,” said retired teacher Beverly Davis.
- “[From] the business standpoint, Kamala didn't have a lot of great issues that she was talking about. She really looked like a deer in headlights; didn't know what was going on,” said Chris Little, who manages a restaurant and owns a food truck.
- “I didn’t vote so it didn’t make me a difference. But people that I know, they wanted Trump,” said a woman who didn’t give her name.
- “I think with Kamala Harris being Black herself, or whatever color she may be…she should have really reached out more to her people, really connected more with her people, especially to Black males,” said Sharon Burke, who works at a grocery store.
