No Chick-fil-A, no voting: One North Carolina county’s argument for closing polls on Sundays

Key Points:

• A GOP county board member in North Carolina, Matt Longworth, advocated for ending Sunday voting, citing his support for businesses like Chick-fil-A that close on Sundays for religious reasons.
• The State Board of Elections approved plans to eliminate Sunday voting in several counties despite testimony highlighting its importance, especially for Black voters who often combine church attendance with voting.
• Democrats on the board criticized the move, with Jeff Carmon calling Longworth’s stance racially charged, noting that nearly 45% of Anson County’s population is Black and Sunday voting is a critical access point.
• Public comments overwhelmingly supported maintaining Sunday voting, with officials like Chatham County’s Laura Heise describing its elimination as a potential form of voter suppression amid a polarized political climate.
• Despite widespread community opposition and evidence of high voter turnout on Sundays, several counties, including Chatham, will not offer Sunday voting in the upcoming general election.