Haley Frederic

This is an image of what one of many voting sites look like across North Carolina. Someone can go vote until March 3rd.

On Feb. 12, early voting for North Carolina’s primary elections began. Official election day is on March 3, with the winner of the primaries set to be on the ballot in November. There are over 10 candidates running for Senate, and multiple candidates running for each Congressional district. Therefore, showing up to the primaries increases the likelihood that the candidates voters support will be on the ballot in November.

The younger generations are becoming of age where they begin to vote and participate in government activity. However, these generations are not being accurately represented at the polls. In 2024, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, 18 to 25-year-olds had the lowest voter turnout (7.7%) of all age groups. In turn, the younger generations are becoming more cynical toward the government. Recent studies, like the one done by John Hopkins University, highlight how Generation Z and Millennials feel unrepresented. To combat this disconnectedness, one way to get one’s opinion across is through voting. The first step is voting in the primaries. 

Robert Colon, a Democratic candidate for Senate, discusses what primaries are and how participation aids the democratic process. 

“[The primaries] give you more choices,” Colon said. “The primary gives you the power to decide how things will play out come November.”

Primary elections allow voters to decide which candidate they believe best represents their beliefs and will enact the change they want to see within the federal government. The primaries sift through multiple candidates for a party and then decide which candidate will be on the ballot come November. Justin Dues, a candidate running under the Democratic Party for Senate, explains how the voting process works in North Carolina. 

“If you’re registered as a Democrat or Republican, you get your ballot for the party you’re registered for,” Dues said. “If you’re an unaffiliated voter, you can actually go and pick and choose [a ballot].”

Primary voting varies per state, but North Carolina has a semi-closed primary, meaning that only those registered to a party or as an Independent are eligible to vote. Understanding the voting process is vital to having political participation. With this civic engagement, citizens can help the government actually represent the people. Don Brown, a Republican candidate for Senate, describes how the primaries came to be and elaborates on the importance of having them.

“[The primaries] went from having a party convention select the nominee, to having members of the general public who are registered [to vote] select the nominee,” Brown said. 

Primary elections are essential to the process of choosing representatives. There are multiple candidates running, and the primaries allow for variation among candidates. This gives voters the responsibility to select the candidate that they feel best represents the party and will carry out their responsibilities the most effectively. All of this to say, voting in the primary is essential for the election process to accurately represent the people. Orrick Quick, a Democrat candidate for Senate, explains why young voters specifically need to engage in the process and vote. 

 “To young voters, I’d say: don’t sit this out,” Quick said. “The decisions made today affect your education, your job opportunities and your freedoms. Your voice matters.”

Voting is one of the most crucial things someone can do to participate in democracy. One could say that by voting, a person is using the rights the Constitution bestows. Thus, deciding who will represent them is what the founding fathers envisioned for the United States. Participating in politics–particularly the primaries–is one of the ways someone can make a difference in this country. 

“The opportunity to participate in the electoral process is something that people have fought and died for,” Brown said. “Because the alternative is some sort of totalitarianism, where we don’t have the freedom to choose who will represent us.”