Leadership Starts Before the Ballot: Youth Civic Leadership in Coastal NC
THE 100 WAY WEEKLY · October 31, 2026
This post is nonpartisan. It shares recently reported voting participation data and official election information. It does not endorse any party or candidate.
Young people do not have to wait for their first ballot to lead. They can ask who makes a decision, check a claim, and speak up about an issue they care about. Youth civic leadership starts with room to think for yourself.
For families in Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender counties, this weekend offers a clear place to start.
North Carolina early voting ends October 31 at 3 p.m.
North Carolina’s in-person early voting ends Saturday, October 31, 2026, at 3 p.m. Eastern. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. During early voting, eligible voters may use any early voting site in their own county. Check the official county schedule before leaving.
Our three-county early voting snapshot
Across New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick counties, 122,941 in-person early ballots were reported through Thursday, October 29, 2026. This snapshot uses the NC State Board of Elections report published October 30, 2026; it is not a live count.
Voter registration | Early ballots | Share of regional early ballots |
Democratic | 35,433 | 28.82% |
Green | 46 | 0.04% |
Libertarian | 315 | 0.26% |
Republican | 41,490 | 33.75% |
Unaffiliated | 45,657 | 37.14% |
Regional total | 122,941 | 100.00% |
The table combines all three counties into one region. “Share” means each group’s portion of the 122,941 early ballots. It is not the percentage of that group’s registered voters who voted.
Party labels describe voters’ registration in the source data. These counts do not show candidate choices, party support, or who is winning an election.
Mail ballots are excluded. Other party codes in the source total zero. Percentages may not add to 100% because of rounding. Counts can change as election records are updated.
Method: Chapter calculation from the county data. Sum the EARLY VOTING ballot counts for New Hanover, Pender, and Brunswick by party registration. County totals checked against the dated report: New Hanover 57,140; Pender 13,837; Brunswick 51,964. Data retrieved October 31, 2026.
Registration and photo ID: know the difference
Eligible residents who missed the regular registration deadline can register and vote at an early voting site. They must meet all voter qualifications, have lived in the county for at least 30 days before Election Day, and show proof of residence. A current utility bill or bank statement with the voter’s name and address is one accepted option. Most voters cannot register on Election Day.
Voters will be asked for an acceptable photo ID. Proof of residence and photo ID serve different purposes; a utility bill is not a photo ID. If you cannot show an acceptable photo ID, ask an election worker about voting a provisional ballot with a Photo ID Exception Form.
Not 18 yet? You still have a voice
Eligible North Carolina residents ages 16 and 17 may preregister. Preregistration prepares them for future voting; it does not let them cast a ballot in the November 3, 2026 general election unless they will be 18 by that date and meet the other voting requirements.
Younger students can take part in civic learning, too. Ask how a school board makes a decision. Look up what a town council does. Learn how public choices can affect education, local services, and job opportunities.
Give a young person the floor
Mentors and families: Ask a young person, “What would you change in our community?” Listen before adding your own view. Then help them find a reliable source and work out which public office handles that issue.
Compare a social post with an official source. Check the date. Ask what evidence supports the claim. Leave room for young women and young men to reach their own conclusions.
At 100 Black Men of Coastal North Carolina, mentoring makes space for young people to grow in judgment, confidence, and service. “What They See Is What They’ll Be ®” calls adults to model those habits in everyday life.
Make a plan for November 3
On Tuesday, November 3, 2026, registered voters vote at their assigned Election Day polling place. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Voters in line at their assigned site at 7:30 p.m. may still vote.
Want to help young people practice leadership? Connect with our chapter about mentoring, volunteering, or youth programs.
This is nonpartisan civic education. The suggested conversations are ideas for families and mentors, not a report of a chapter voting event.
Election information verified with the NC State Board of Elections on October 31, 2026.
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