During the middle of the day on Oct. 29, which was the 14th day of early voting, Buncombe County election officials said the total number of early voters has already set a record.
According to Buncombe County Communications Director Lilian Govus, there had been 79,938 voters who cast ballots in early voting. This total was announced at 3 p.m. on Oct. 29, with voting lasting until 7:30 p.m. and then resuming again on Friday, Oct. 30 from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
That total surpasses the old midterm early-voting 2018 total of over 78,000, the county said in an Oct. 29 news release. The second-highest total prior to that was in 2022, when there were 70,371 early voters.
The final day of early voting is Saturday, Oct. 31 with polls open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at all 13 early voting sites, which are listed below:
- Bee Tree Fire Station: 510 Bee Tree Rd., Swannanoa
- Black Mountain Library: 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain
- East Asheville Library: 3 Avon Rd., Asheville,
- Enka-Candler Library: 1404 Sand Hill Rd., Candler
- Fairview Library: 1 Taylor Rd., Fairview
- Friendship Center: 142 Shiloh Rd., Asheville
- Leicester Community Center: 2979 New Leicester Highway, Leicester
- North Asheville Library: 1030 Merrimon Ave., Asheville
- South Buncombe Library: 260 Overlook Rd., Asheville
- Upper Hominy Fire Station: 1795 Pisgah Highway, Candler
- Weaverville Community Center: 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville
- Wesley Grant Southside Center: 285 Livingston St., Asheville
- West Asheville Library: 942 Haywood Rd., Asheville
The county said in a news release that the last Saturday of early voting has been historically busy, so voters are encouraged to vote on weekdays if possible and to use the wait map at www.buncombenc.gov/vote.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. The 80 polling sites in the county will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Anyone in line by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day will have a chance to vote, the county said in the release.