North Carolina A&T, UNC Greensboro and Bennett students march nearly an hour after campus voting sites removed

Students from North Carolina A&T, UNC Greensboro and Bennett College marched nearly an hour on Oct. 15 after officials removed early voting sites from all three campuses.

The march marked the first day of early voting in North Carolina and sent long lines of students toward Union Square, the nearest available polling location, WUNC reports. Videos shared on social media showed students chanting, holding signs and walking together in 85‑degree heat.

Students said the walk took about 45 minutes from each campus. They moved along busy streets, narrow sidewalks and obstructed paths. Some sections forced students into the road due to missing sidewalks and overgrown branches.

Board Rejects Campus Sites Used in 2024

North Carolina A&T — the nation’s largest four‑year HBCU — had its early‑voting site rejected twice in 2026. The state board voted 3–2 along party lines to deny the campus location in January and again in August. UNCG’s proposed site was also removed, pushing students from both campuses to make the same long walk. Bennett College students joined the march, forming a unified student bloc across Greensboro.

Election officials denied requests to reopen the campus sites despite their use during the 2024 general election. The board instead approved Union Square, a downtown health care education center, as the compromise location.

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Students Say Removal Creates Barriers

Student organizers said the turnout was meant to show that young voters will not be deterred by added barriers. They argued that removing campus sites forces thousands of students to navigate long walks, transportation challenges and tight schedules.

“We will come and make our voices clear, no matter how far you push a polling site off our campus,” student organizer Xavier Jones told WUNC.

Students also raised safety concerns. They described gaps in sidewalks, poison ivy along the route and heavy traffic. Some waited hours to vote once they arrived. Local organizers said staff briefly ran out of registration forms as lines stretched outside the building.

North Carolina Voting March Highlights Growing Concerns Over Access

The march drew support from faculty, alumni and local residents. Many said campus voting sites historically saw strong turnout and offered safe, accessible locations for first‑time voters. Additionally, the long walk highlighted concerns about preparedness at Union Square. More than 300 votes were cast at the site that day, according to the Guilford County Board of Elections’ daily tally.

Students Plan Continued Action

Organizers said they will continue pushing for restored campus voting sites and greater access ahead of future elections. They encouraged students to vote early, share information and support peers who may face challenges reaching off‑campus locations. They said the march showed the strength of student organizing and the determination to vote despite obstacles.

Early voting ends Oct. 31.