NC HBCU students walk miles to vote after campus polling sites are removed

Students at historically Black colleges and universities in North Carolina are walking miles to vote after election officials chose not to include on-campus early voting sites ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, The Guardian reports. More than 100 students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Bennett College, and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro marched to polling places on Oct. 15, the first day of early voting.

According to WUNC News, the demonstration came after officials removed campus voting locations that had been available during the 2024 presidential election. At North Carolina A&T, reportedly the nation’s largest historically Black university, students walked about 45 minutes to get to the nearest early voting site. Along the way, some ran into missing sidewalks and blocked walkways.

Election officials pointed to low turnout at the previous campus sites to justify the decision. Student organizers, however, say taking away easy-access polling places only makes voting harder for young people, especially those without dependable transportation. The changes have also led to legal action.

College Democrats from North Carolina A&T, UNC Greensboro, and Western Carolina University filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections, arguing that the decisions unfairly place a heavier burden on young and Black voters. The Guardian reported that the lawsuit also highlighted transportation issues at Western Carolina, where many students do not have cars and must make a long walk along roads with little pedestrian infrastructure. Even with those obstacles, students have continued organizing marches, offering rides, and leading voter education efforts to boost turnout.

Hundreds took to the streets again on Oct. 22 for a second march, this time joined by actress Marsai Martin and “Love Island USA” winner Trinity Tatum. Both took part with When We All Vote, the nonpartisan voter engagement initiative founded by former first lady Michelle Obama.

The effort has also expanded to campus events, including “Votecoming: Party at the Polls,” which mixes voter outreach with homecoming celebrations. Student organizers at the North Carolina HBCUs say the marches are meant to keep voter participation strong while also bringing attention to concerns about access to polling places. North Carolina’s early voting period runs through Oct.

31, ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. In the meantime, students are still arranging rides and outreach as the dispute over campus voting locations continues.