Wake County Republicans Remove NC State Student Center as Early Voting Site
Republicans on Wake County’s election board voted 3-2 to remove NC State’s student center as an early voting site, despite community opposition at a packed Friday meeting.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — Republicans on the Wake County Board of Elections voted to remove NC State University’s Talley Student Center as an early voting site for the upcoming general election, despite strong opposition from community members during a packed meeting Friday.
The Republican-controlled board rejected a 3-2 vote on a proposal by Democrat Gerry Cohen to maintain the student center as a polling location. The Talley Student Center had served as an early voting site in the 2012, 2018, 2020 and 2024 general elections, as well as several primaries.
Instead, the board approved relocating the early voting site to a Business Services building on Western Boulevard, approximately one mile from the campus location.
Parking Concerns Drive Republican Decision
Republican board member Donna Williams defended the change, citing accessibility concerns for the new location. “It is very easily accessible for everybody,” Williams said of the Western Boulevard site.
Republicans argued that parking difficulties for off-campus residents made the student center unsuitable as a voting location. The decision follows a pattern of Republican election boards removing early voting sites from college campuses across the state.
Cohen countered that the 47,000 people who live, study and work at NC State represent a community as large as many Wake County municipalities. He noted that Talley has more available parking than other approved early voting sites and remains familiar to voters.
Community Opposition Mounts
“Don’t make West Raleigh voters feel like you are making their voting more difficult,” Cohen told the board. “Please approve the Talley site for early voting. Wake County wants this, needs this, and expects this.”
Most public speakers at Friday’s meeting supported maintaining early voting sites at Talley Student Center, the Southeast Raleigh YMCA, and Knightdale. The meeting room was packed with community members attending the decision on early voting locations.
The vote represents another high-profile decision where Republicans have refused to place early voting sites on college campuses since taking control of state and local election boards.
Political Control Shift
Republicans gained control of state and local election boards following controversial legislation that removed appointment powers from the governor and transferred them to state Auditor Dave Boliek. The change took effect last year, giving Republicans majority control over election administration decisions.
The Wake County Board of Elections’ decision affects thousands of NC State students, faculty, and staff who previously relied on the convenient campus location for early voting. The new Western Boulevard site will require voters to travel off-campus to cast their ballots during the early voting period.
The board’s action comes as election officials finalize early voting locations ahead of the general election, with community access and voter convenience remaining contentious issues in the site selection process.
