RALEIGH, N.C. (July 6, 2026) — Voters across North Carolina are pushing back against a wave of proposed early voting cuts, and this week, the fight comes to Rowan and Pasquotank counties.
Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ) sent letters this week to the Rowan and Pasquotank County Boards of Elections, urging both to protect voters’ access to early voting ahead of the 2026 midterms. These efforts come in the wake of revelations that county board of elections members throughout North Carolina have experienced pressure from politicians and the State Auditor’s office to cut weekend and early voting locations.
Rowan County
Rowan County voters are demanding weekend voting access as their County Board of Elections considers the number of early voting days for the 2026 midterms. The board plans to vote Wednesday, July 8, on five plan options ranging from the required 13 days of early voting, Plan A, to all 17 available days, Plan E. Voters are asking the board to pass Plan E, which also includes three Saturdays and two Sundays.
SCSJ sent a letter today to the Rowan County Board of Elections detailing the impact on voters if early voting days are reduced.
Wednesday’s vote will be the second time the board considers the 2026 Early Voting Plan. The board voted 3-2 on June 10 for Plan A, which includes only one Saturday and no Sundays, prompting significant public outcry. If the county board of elections still does not reach a consensus on an early voting plan Wednesday, the State Board of Elections would ultimately decide the plan.
Rowan County voters rely heavily on early voting, and increasingly so. Over 70% voted early in 2024, 64% in 2020, and 59% in 2016. Even during midterm elections in 2022 and 2018, nearly half of voters cast ballots early. Weekend voting is especially critical for Black voters and voters under 25, who use weekend hours at higher rates than the overall electorate in every general election.
“I firmly believe that our Rowan Election Board members’ priority, as good stewards of our voting procedures, should be to listen to and serve the best needs of ALL Rowan voters,” said Rowan County resident Pam Bloom. “I have advocated with other voters for the most accessible voting plan for years, one that includes all available Saturdays and Sundays. It just seems sensible to have voting start on one day and continue consecutively until the final day, a plan that was unanimously agreed upon as recently as the 2024 General Election.
“Once weekend voting became the norm in Rowan County, people liked having choices because of their many different working schedules and circumstances. I am hopeful that our local Election Board members agree and will add Saturdays and Sundays to the 2026 General Election Calendar at the July 8th meeting.”
Pasquotank County
In Pasquotank County, voters are raising concerns about a proposal to cut Sunday early voting and move the county’s early voting site away from the K.E. White Graduate Center on the Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) campus, a site voters have relied on successfully in every general election since 2020.
Today, SCSJ sent a letter urging the Pasquotank County Board of Elections to approve an early voting plan consistent with those used in the last three elections, keeping the Graduate Center and maintaining Saturday and Sunday early voting hours. They will vote on a plan at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 7.
Pasquotank voters use more weekend hours when they are available, and early voting turnout increases with weekend availability. Cutting Sunday hours would particularly burden Black and African American voters, who use weekend early voting at higher rates than the overall electorate. That pattern could lead to any cuts violating state law, which prohibits early voting plans that disproportionately disfavor any race or party.
Moving the voting site also raises concerns about accessibility for pedestrian voters, including ECSU students. The County Board of Elections office, by contrast to the K.E. White Graduate Center, is on a busy street without sidewalks.
Both letters urge board members to serve their communities rather than respond to political pressure from Raleigh, and to fulfill their oath to ensure every eligible voter can access their fundamental right to cast a ballot.
Meeting Details:
WHAT: Rowan County Board of Elections Meeting
WHEN: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 8, 2026
WHERE: Rowan County Board of Elections, 1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard W.,
Salisbury, NC 28147
AVAILABILITY: Community members and a voting rights attorney will be available for interviews at the meeting.
WHAT: Pasquotank County Board of Elections Meeting
WHEN: 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 7, 2026
WHERE: Pasquotank County Board of Elections, 1409 Parkview Drive, Elizabeth City, NC 27906
AVAILABILITY: Community members will be available for interviews at the meeting. A voting rights attorney can be available for phone or zoom interviews.
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Southern Coalition for Social Justice came together in 2007 to give Black, Brown, and low-income people better resources in the fight for justice across the South. We are lawyers, social scientists, and communications professionals working to dismantle racism and oppression in the criminal legal system, in our environment, and at the ballot box. Learn more at southerncoalition.org and follow our work on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.