Though the U.S. Senate race between Democrat Roy Cooper and Republican Michael Whatley has attracted the most attention, down-ballot contests could have significant implications on Capitol Hill and Jones Street.
"We have several pieces of information that help guide voters and understanding what is your city council deciding? What is your county commission deciding? What are your mayors deciding? What does your senator do?" said Jennifer Rubin, President of League of Women Voters of North Carolina.
An Ipsos Poll released in May found nationally Democrats were more likely to vote in the November congressional election.
"I think it's the case where our polling is showing us more Democratic enthusiasm than Republican enthusiasm," explained Dr. David McLennan, a Political Science Professor at Meredith College.
He explained that could play a pivotal role, particularly in down-ballot races expected to be competitive.
"We know who's not on the ballot, and that's Donald Trump. Donald Trump has done exceptionally well in North Carolina all three times he's run. He's pulled Republicans across the finish line, and without Trump, and without an exciting top of the ticket, some Republicans may choose not to vote. And that's the enthusiasm problem. If turnout is even a couple percentage points lower than it was last midterm election for Republicans, we have a lot of seats that could come into play," McLennan said.
A Pew Research poll published this month found voters shared the economy as the top issue for voters this cycle.
"We got to get the economy going where it should be," said voter Bob Nowoc.
Political leaders from both parties say they are hearing similar concerns on the campaign trail and are working to persuade voters that their candidates offer the best solutions.
"Everyone who works for a living is facing the same challenges. We have an affordability crisis, and it's getting worse," said Wesley Knott, Chair of the Wake County Democratic Party.
"Affordability. Nothing else matters if you can't afford to live, so that's super important. A lot of the municipalities in Wake County are raising their taxes," said Sandy Joiner, Chair of the Wake County Republican Party.
Knott said he believes the presence of Roy Cooper at the top of the ticket will have an effect on other races.
"We feel like a federal election is within our grasp for the first time since 2008. There are lots of folks that are engaging that are showing up, wanting to get involved," Knott said.
Knott explained part of their work is ensuring voters are informed.
"We see a lot of down-ballot drop-off when folks get too far down the ballot or they don't flip it to complete every office. Sometimes folks are just uncomfortable voting for candidates that they're not familiar with," Knott said. "We want them to know we're going to be at the polls with our voter guides. We're going to try to stop by your house and give you one ahead of the election."
Republicans say enthusiasm among their supporters is also strong.
"The enthusiasm has been overwhelming first off. We had a great event over the weekend where we were door-knocking in the rain. We were phone banking with Michael Whatley. We had so many people show up, and we have people calling the office every day asking to volunteer. It's just been overwhelming," said Joiner.
Joiner said concerns about local government spending are resonating with many voters.
"Seeing things like what's happening with the town of Cary, how the taxes are going up and how they're spending our money and they're not spending it wisely," Joiner said, "And other towns as well (including) Zebulon."
Rubin raised concerns about voting access in some areas of the state.
"There's a number of county Board of Elections that have limited voting sites," Rubin said. "It's troublesome because a lot of those voting sites are on or near college campuses."
In Wake County, election officials recently removed Talley Student Union at NC State University as an early voting site but added a location near the edge of campus. The county will have the highest number of early voting sites in its history.
This month, the State Board of Elections approved changes that would place stricter enforcement of accepting absentee ballots, and lower the threshold needed for a local county board of elections to deny a voter who cast a ballot without a photo ID.
Voters say staying informed remains critical in a political environment filled with competing messages.
"I don't think people do enough homework to really know what's going on from either side, whether you're a Republican or Democrat," Nowoc said.
North Carolina's 2022 midterm election drew just over 51% voter turnout, compared with nearly 74% turnout in the 2024 general election.
Stay on top of breaking news and weather with the ABC11 News App