Election day 2024 is nearing, there's a big push to get people registered in Battleground NC

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- It is National Voter Registration Day and there is a big push to get people registered in North Carolina. The non-partisan civic holiday was established on September 17, 2012.

"I think it's important for people to make their own voices heard," said NC State freshman Aiden Renzi.

Renzi, alongside fellow freshman Dallas Hicks, and sophomore Millie Walkenhorst, participated in a voter education event Tuesday inside Talley Student Union.

"Ask people if they have a plan to vote and make sure people know about resources. We have early voting here on campus. So everyone has a plan, whether they're going to vote on campus or vote somewhere else. As a college student, I'm just trying to increase voter turnout," said Hicks.
Several organizations set up tables, and connected with students about the voting process, and what people need to know regarding registration requirements.
"I'm an out-of-state student myself, so it's really important to me. It's actually letting people know that you can vote here. You don't have to vote back home if you don't want to. We just kind of give people the tools that they need," said Walkenhorst.

In 2020, NC State ranked first amongst schools in the Atlantic Coast Conference in voter registration. Statewide, Tufts Tisch College reports 55% of 18-to-29-year-olds in North Carolina cast ballots in 2020, five percent higher than the national rate of 50%.

"If athletes could do it on this campus, why can't I do it? And so I feel like we should use our platform and use that voice to advocate for civil engagement, make sure everybody register to vote," said Lance Patterson, an NC State junior who participates in Track & Field.

Alongside fellow student-athlete Katherine Helms, the pair is encouraging others to be prepared for the upcoming elections.

"We're going to try to get teams registered to vote at the same time around their practice times. We're pushing the Tally (Student Union) voting because that's super easy, convenient," said Helms.

Talley Student Union is one of 22 early voting sites in Wake County, which Wake County Board of Elections Deputy Director Olivia McCall says is the most in its history.

Wake County has the most registered voters in the state, with its population aiding election officials in ensuring there are enough poll workers in place. While Election Day naturally gets most of the attention, there are plenty of ongoing preparations happening right now, including Logic & Accuracy Testing of voting tabulation machines.

"Once those machines have performed the Logic & Accuracy testing, we know that the machines are working properly. What we do is we seal those machines and secure them until election Day or early voting when they actually go into use," said McCall.

A bipartisan team performs the process, which is open to the public.

"We welcome the public to come and see that just so they can see that all this is going into being prepared for Election Day to ensure that the machines and equipment they're going to be used, that you're actually going to be voting on have been fully tested and are ready to go for early voting in Election Day," said McCall.

October 11 is the last day to register to vote if you plan to do it in person.

If you're mailing in a voter registration application it needs to be postmarked by the registration deadline.

Those who miss the October 11 deadline you can register to vote in person during early voting which runs October 17 through November 2.

If you're not sure about your registration status you can check it online here.