Women are early voting at higher rate than men in North Carolina
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Record turnout continues across North Carolina, with more than 1.7 million total votes cast between absentee and early votes in the state as of Tuesday.
Among that, 886,357 women have voted already in North Carolina, compared to 723,678 men, a difference of more than 150,000 voters.
Those numbers aren't surprising to Democratic Congresswoman Deborah Ross, who made a campaign stop at the Cary Senior Center to meet with voters Wednesday.
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"I think women know what the stakes are and they know that Vice President (Kamala) Harris has their back. They know that they cannot trust (former President) Donald Trump. They know that Donald Trump is the reason why their reproductive freedoms have been stripped away from them, and they know that their vote is their power," Ross said.
That gender gap is also showing up in national polling preference, with a New York Times /Siena poll this month showing a major difference in the presidential race, with Harris leading female voters by 16 points, and Trump leading among men by 11 points.
"We have a chance to make history with the first woman president of the United States from a minority group, that's big," said Cary Councilmember Sarika Bansal, who supports Harris.
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But though reproductive rights have been a major motivating factor for women on the Democratic side, on the Republican side, volunteers such as Sandy Joiner say other issues weigh heavier.
"The women that have been out here have been worried about education, the economy, safety," she said.
"I think for the women you need to think of your children, your grandchildren, I think for me, abortion is one thing that's important but there are other things that are equally important," said Republican voter Hannah Chan.
Meanwhile, men supporting Harris said it's also important to close the gender gap.
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"We want this to be a campaign that talks about being positive, being about moving forward and not moving backward to the old days where it's a male-dominated society where they think that a woman cannot rule and do well," said Kurt Patel.
Trump's lead among male voters is in part because he's made inroads among ethnic-minority communities who have historically voted blue.
"Those who came here for the dreams of America, they found that the current government has not fulfilled their dreams and they are hoping that the Trump administration will secure the border," said Ravi Gaddampally, a Trump supporter who said Republicans have done more outreach in the South Asian community.
