College Democrats of North Carolina and four college students are suing the North Carolina State Board of Elections and the Guilford and Jackson county elections boards over their closure of three early voting sites on college campuses.
The case unfolds against a shifting political backdrop in North Carolina’s election administration. In 2024, Republicans gained control of the State Board of Elections, which oversees statewide election rules and appoints the county boards that select early voting sites. The appointed board members in Guilford and Jackson counties subsequently voted to close early voting sites at North Carolina A&T State University, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and Western Carolina University ahead of the 2026 primary.
College Democrats argue in their lawsuit that these decisions “intentionally target the rights of young voters” and violate both the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act. The plaintiffs are seeking to restore early voting to all three campuses by Feb. 12.
Many see the closures as marking the loss of long-standing student access points to the ballot. UNC Greensboro has hosted an on-campus early voting site since at least 2012; Western Carolina University has hosted one since 2016 and students at North Carolina A&T previously fought to secure their site ahead of the 2020 election.
“This case is about targeted efforts to place additional, unnecessary, burdensome and ultimately unjustifiable obstacles between students at three North Carolina universities — including the nation’s largest historically Black university — and this fundamental constitutional right,” the lawsuit says, referring to North Carolina A&T.
County board members cited concerns about low turnout and resource allocation when rejecting campus sites. However, North Carolina will still have 10 early-voting sites on college campuses this year, up from nine in 2022, and 319 early voting sites in total, compared to 301 in 2022.
Student leaders weigh in
Student leaders across the state say the closures raise broader questions about democratic participation. Senior Caleb Pembele, president of the Wake Forest Democrats, praised the College Democrats for their advocacy. The Wake Forest Democrats is officially affiliated with the College Democrats of North Carolina.
“I fully support the lawsuit that the College Democrats of North Carolina is filing,” Pembele said in a statement. “Voting is a fundamental part of participating in a democracy and a constitutional right. The removal of early voting sites on college campuses by Republican members of the North Carolina Board of Elections is a clear attempt to subvert the will of young voters.”
Pembele said that on-campus voting sites went on to underscore the importance of these sites, especially on college campuses, for their effectiveness in boosting voter turnout.
“These sites serve two important functions,” he said. “First, having sites within walking distance reduces barriers to voting, as many college students don’t have cars, and they boost voter turnout, which is essential for a healthy democracy.”
Wake Forest does not have an on-campus voting site. More information on voting in the midterm primaries can be found on page 6.
Western Carolina students speak out
Zach Powell, one of the plaintiffs named in the lawsuit, is president of the Western Carolina University College Democrats. He said in a statement that he wasn’t blindsided by the county board’s decision to close the WCU campus polling site.
“My initial reaction was one of disappointment, but not surprise,” Powell said. “We had been anticipating this move ever since Republicans took control of the State Board of Elections last year. The WCU polling site serves the youngest and most diverse voter population in Jackson County.”
Powell said he believes Republicans reorganized congressional districts to favor their party amid dropping support in the state.
“I think that Republicans are starting to realize that their political stock is dropping, and now they feel the need to suppress the vote wherever possible,” he said. “Another great example of these voter suppression tactics is the Republican effort to redraw congressional districts across the country in their favor.”
Powell said that WCU worked extensively with the Jackson County Board of Elections to address concerns, offering an alternative on-campus facility and opening 60 additional parking spaces for voters. Despite those efforts, the board ultimately voted to close the site, citing cost and accessibility issues.
Student groups and universities are mobilizing in response. At Western Carolina University, College Democrats are working with community partners and student organizations to organize a “march to the polls” on the first day of early voting.
Additionally, the WCU Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning will provide shuttles to polling locations during early voting and on Election Day, while student organizations plan to offer additional transportation on Saturdays and select evenings.
Powell maintained that student awareness and mutual support are critical.
“One way that students can be helpful in this moment is to help spread the word about the polling place closure and make sure their peers know where they need to go to vote,” he said. “They can also spread the word about the resources and transportation that will be made available. And if they have a car and are willing, it would be super helpful for students to offer rides to the polls to their peers.”
As the legal fight unfolds, many say the issue of voter access in North Carolina is far from settled. Supporters of restoring campus voting sites see the lawsuit as a battle in the war over fair access to the ballot, particularly for young and first-time voters.
“I think we ain’t seen nothing yet,” Chris Cooper, professor of political science at Western Carolina University, commented to the Raleigh News & Observer. “I think we ain’t seen nothing yet. The fight coming this summer is going to be way bigger than the fight we just saw.”
