Trump Wins North Carolina for a Third Time, Secures 16 Electoral Votes Over Harris

November 6, Raleigh, NC – Former President Donald Trump has triumphed in North Carolina for the third consecutive time, clinching the state’s 16 electoral votes. Trump narrowly defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, securing 50.8% of the vote (2,571,258 votes) to Harris’ 48.1% (2,436,454 votes), with 89% of votes counted, according to the Associated Press.

Republican presidential nominee former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Greensboro Coliseum in October. REUTERS

Both candidates made last-minute stops in North Carolina to energize voters on the final day of early voting. Trump held rallies in Gastonia and Greensboro, while Harris visited Charlotte just before her “Saturday Night Live” debut. Throughout the campaign, both candidates focused heavily on issues such as inflation, the economy, and the cost of living, which dominated the state’s political discourse.

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris in September. AFP via Getty Images

Polling data released in the lead-up to Election Day indicated these economic concerns were top of mind for North Carolina voters, with abortion and border security also cited as key issues. The state saw record-breaking early voting, with 57% of registered voters casting ballots by Sunday morning, surpassing the 2020 early voting total of 3.6 million.

The western counties, hardest hit by Hurricane Helene, showed particularly high turnout, and were expected to favor Trump, according to pre-election polls.

Democratic North Carolina governor-elect Josh Stein speaks at the North Carolina Democratic Unity Dinner fundraiser. AP

Vice President Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, campaigned heavily in North Carolina alongside outgoing Democratic Governor Roy Cooper and Governor-elect Josh Stein, the state’s current Attorney General.

On the Republican side, Trump’s campaign distanced itself from gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson following the emergence of racist and sexist remarks allegedly posted by Robinson under a pseudonym. Robinson, who was running against Josh Stein, was losing the governor’s race with only 25% of the votes counted early in the evening.