Local and State Races Ahead of November Voting

Early voting is wrapping up or finished across many U.S. jurisdictions as municipalities prepare for November elections, with turnout varying widely. In North Carolina, voters in 380 municipalities can vote early through Nov. 1 with 144 statewide early voting sites; in South Carolina early voting ran Oct. 20–31 ahead of the Nov. 4 municipal election and included photo ID requirements. Horry County, S.C., closed early voting Oct. 31 with roughly 2,900 early ballots cast (about 2,200 in Myrtle Beach) and officials expect increased turnout on Election Day. Bexar County officials reported about 143,000 early ballots in San Antonio, driven by high‑stakes items like Spurs arena propositions and constitutional amendments, and northwest Louisiana parishes opened early voting for a Nov. 15 election featuring property‑tax renewals and bond measures. Officials nationwide warn that recent USPS postmarking changes could jeopardize last‑minute mailed ballots unless voters obtain an Election Day postmark or use secure ballot drop boxes; King County has urged voters to return ballots early and reported more than 194,000 returns so far. Local reporting also flagged delays and confusion over sample ballots in places such as Jersey City, prompting officials to urge voters to check sample ballots, confirm precincts and municipal residency, and consult state or county election websites for up‑to‑date information.