Perhaps your favorite politician won his or her race for public office.
Or maybe they failed in their attempt.
No matter if you are a fan of any particular politician, party, or platform, there is another term that starts with the letter “P” we can all be happy with – process.
During the 2024 election cycle North Carolinians were asked to show a photo ID at the polls, an action that has been in place in many other states for years.
While there was some consternation about whether or not the new measure would lead to wide-ranging voter disenfranchisement, the voter ID policy appeared to be implemented locally without a hitch.
Overall, the 2024 election cycle went smoothly in Macon and Jackson counties with the polls serving as a model of efficiency. Presidential election years always draw the best voter turnout, and even with the voter ID measure in place, this year’s election was no different.
In Jackson County, an almost identical number of people voted in the 2024 election as voted in 2020 (the previous year featuring a presidential race). There were 21,912 ballots cast this year, compared to 21,504 in 2020.
Macon County showed a similar relationship, with 21,905 ballots cast last week, and 20,827 votes cast in 2020.
Statewide, the voter turnout rate was 73 percent in 2024 down slightly from 75 percent in 2020.
While there were widespread, and almost universally unfounded, claims of voter fraud across the country in 2020, there have been no such claims in 2024. With almost all states using paper ballots, and ballot boxes that are not connected to the internet, the process of voting has never been more secure.
At the end of the day, whether you are thrilled by the election results on the national, state, or local level – or greatly dismayed by them – the process by which we get to exercise our right to vote has not been an issue.
Kudos to all the people who work tirelessly at the county level and at the polling locations to make sure voting remains a relatively easy task.