Campus early voting denials put student access to the ballot at risk

The North Carolina Black Alliance condemns the decision to reject early voting sites at North Carolina campuses, including North Carolina A&T State University, UNC Greensboro, Western Carolina University, and Elon University.

Access to the ballot should not depend on zip code, transportation, or flexible schedules. For students, many of whom are first-time voters, having an early voting site on campus is often the difference between participating and being shut out. Denying that access at North Carolina A&T,  the largest historically Black college or university in the nation,  and other institutions with long histories of civic engagement raises serious questions about whose voices are being prioritized in our elections. The elimination of these sites also impacts students at nearby institutions like Bennett College and Guilford College, who relied on accessible early voting locations in Guilford County

This decision is part of broader efforts across North Carolina to reduce early voting access, including limiting campus sites and cutting Sunday voting hours. These actions disproportionately impact Black voters, young voters, and working-class communities — the very groups already facing barriers to full participation in our democracy.

Voting is a fundamental right, not a convenience. When access is restricted, representation suffers, and communities lose power over decisions that shape their daily lives.

North Carolina Black Alliance stands with the students who showed up to push back against this decision, and with all Black students and community members demanding fair and equal access to the ballot. We will continue organizing, educating and advocating to ensure every eligible voter in this state has a clear and meaningful opportunity to vote.