Downtown voting up 7%, behind county's 42% surge

Guilford County posted its early-voting totals for October 31, showing that the Old County Courthouse and Union Square Campus processed more voters than the previous Saturday, but their growth lagged far behind the rest of the county.

The courthouse handled 386 voters, up from 374 on October 24, a 3.2 percent increase. Union Square recorded 235 voters, up from 206, a 14.1 percent rise. Together, these two downtown locations saw their combined turnout climb from 580 to 621, an increase of about 7 percent. In contrast, voting across the entire county jumped 42.2 percent, from 6,575 to 9,348.

This disparity dropped the downtown pair’s share of countywide voters from 8.8 percent to 6.6 percent. Among the 17 early-voting locations, the courthouse and Union Square posted the second- and third-smallest percentage increases, respectively. Only the Ag Center, which rose from 267 to 272, recorded a smaller gain.

Other sites saw much steeper climbs. Barber Park increased by 22.1 percent, while Pleasant Garden jumped 119.7 percent. Lewis Recreation Center rose 41.9 percent, Leonard rose 44 percent, and Craft rose 48.9 percent. All 17 locations recorded higher numbers on October 31 than on October 24, though the figures remain unofficial.

The data comes after the Rhino Times reported on October 30 that homecoming crowds, parking issues, and road closures might hinder voting at the courthouse. Elections Director Charlie Collicutt told reporters before the event that officials were prepared and did not expect major problems. That assessment preceded the weekend's events.

Voting hours were identical in duration for both Saturdays, with seven hours available at each site. However, the schedule shifted. October 24 ran from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while October 31 ran from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. This change replaced two late-afternoon hours with two morning hours. The 100 Greatest Homecoming on Earth also took place that day, with a parade scheduled for 8 a.m. and a football game for 1 p.m.

A&T’s road-closure list included portions of East Market, Lindsay, Dudley, and Yanceyville streets near campus. The notices did not confirm that the voting entrances at the courthouse or Union Square were blocked, nor did they measure how long voters spent finding parking. The numbers do not identify why specific voters chose one location over another, leaving factors like personal schedules and transportation as possible explanations.