Registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats in North Caroliana for the first time in state history.
The North Carolina Board of Elections reports that as of Monday morning, the Tar Heel State has just over 2.315 million Republicans, compared to nearly 2.313 million Democrats. While that margin of around 2,100 voters marks a small share of the state’s almost 2.66 million total voters, it’s the first time ever Republicans held the edge.
“Fantastic news from the North Carolina Republican Party!” posted Joe Gruters, Republican National Committee Chair on X. For the first time in history, Republican voter registration has surpassed Democrats in North Carolina! Keep up the momentum and on to victory in 2026!”
Republicans have held legislative majorities in the North Carolina General Assembly since 2011.
Jason Simmons, North Carolina Republican Party Chair, shared the most recent numbers online on Saturday. “Kicking off the New Year strong from a RED STATE,” he posted. “Let’s keep the momentum up, North Carolina!”
The news comes notably after former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley launched a campaign for U.S. Senate in the state. He is running to succeed retiring Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis. Whatley will likely face former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.
While both of North Carolina’s senators — Tillis and Ted Budd — are currently Republican, Democrat Josh Stein won the 2024 race for Governor, even as Republican Donald Trump won the state’s electoral votes for President.
The state has gone Republican in most presidential elections in the 21st century, but was carried by Democrats in 2008, when Barack Obama won by a landslide nationwide. He failed to carry the state again in 2012 even as he won re-election.
Before Obama, the last Democratic presidential candidate to win was Jimmy Carter in 1976. But between 1932 and 1964, Democrats carried the state for every cycle. Granted, that was during a time of political dominance for Southern Democrats.
U.S. Sen. Everett Jordan, for example, was elected as a Democrat in 1958 but switched parties ahead of the 1972 election. The state has remained politically competitive in intervening decades even as Democrats maintained a voter registration advantage.
