Why chaos on Election Day is highly unlikely | Justin Levitt Oct 15, 2026 1 hr ago 0 × USA Today - News The early voting period runs through Oct. 29, with polling places open Monday through Saturday. Voters must bring a photo ID to cast their ballot. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Justin Levitt kAmp>6C:42?D 2C6 F?56CDE2?523=J 7C62<65 @FE 23@FE E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ @7 5:DCFAE:@? :? E96 6=64E:@?D ?6IE >@?E9] x 86E E96 4@?46C?]k^AmkAmqFE 6G6CJ 5@@>D52J D46?2C:@ 72==D 5@H? :? AC24E:46] x7 H6 42? ;FDE EF?6 @FE E96 ?@:D6[ E96 AC@46DD 2E E96 A@==D :D >@DE =:<6=J E@ 36 C67C6D9:?8=J >F?52?6]k^AmkAmx 92G6 CF? 2 ?2E:@?H:56 6=64E:@? AC@E64E:@? AC@8C2>] xE’D C62= H@C< E@ 86E A6@A=6 E@ 565:42E6 2 7F== 52J E@ 96=A:?8 @E96CD] xE’D >F49 92C56C E@ C64CF:E 3@5:6D E@ 9F?E 7@C 7C2F5i 3642FD6 7C2F5 2E D42=6 5@6D?’E C62==J 92AA6?[ E92E D@CE @7 D?:A6 9F?E 5@6D?’E 86E >2?J E2<6CD]k^Am kAmp?5 :?E:>:52E:@?n z6J3@2C5 H2CC:@CD =@G6 E@ 24E @FE @?=:?6[ 3FE E@ 24EF2==J D9@H FA :D 2 E@E2==J 5:776C6?E E9:?8] %96J H@F=5 36 E9C@H? @FE @7 E96 A@==D] %96J H@F=5 36 C:D<:?8 ;2:=[ 3642FD6 :?E:>:52E:?8 G@E6CD :D 2 4C:>6 =@42= @77:4:2=D 2C6 G6CJ AC6A2C65 E@ 6?7@C46]k^Am People are also reading… NC’s State Health Plan sues Atrium, saying it can’t set plan members’ copays State Health Plan loses bid to stop Atrium program, warns of $50 monthly premium hike What the property tax amendment on your ballot tells NC lawmakers to do Cabarrus County General Election in-person early voting begins Thursday Rowan Public Library hosts NC storyteller Liz Z. Pardue Oct. 13 Become part of the investigation when Mystery Dinner Theater returns to Kannapolis Popular breakfast and brunch chain opens doors on new Concord restaurant Swanee Theatre announces fall concerts and events Kyle Busch memorial in Charlotte today: How to watch on TV, when, where, other details NC already has a voter ID requirement, so why is it on the 2026 ballot? More than 290 birds, other animals rescued from hoarding situation in Iredell County NC Will Isaias match Helene? National Weather Service forecasters address concerns Kannapolis letter writer: Vote for school bond on Nov. 3 ballot This change just hit Walmart checkout lanes in NC. Here’s what to expect Weakened Isaias still threatens NC, NWS says. Here's the timeline of the heaviest impacts kAm(92E :7 E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E D6?5D 2C>65 286?ED[ :?4=F5:?8 :>>:8C2E:@? @77:46CD[ E@ A@==:?8 D:E6D E@ DFAAC6DD EFC?@FE 2?5 >2:?E2:? A@H6Cn }@E @?=J :D :E 6>A92E:42==J ?@E =682=[ :E’D ?@E AC24E:42=] %96 &?:E65 $E2E6D 92D 2=>@DE `__[___ A@==:?8 A=246D] %96 =@8:DE:4D @7 2? :?E:>:52E:@? @A6C2E:@? 5@?’E H@C< 4@F?ECJH:56]k^Am kAmw6C6’D H92E x 36=:6G6 H:== 92AA6?i %96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E H:== D6?5 2 8C@FA @7 2 5@K6? 8@@?D E@ 2 DF3FC32? A@==:?8 A=246 D@>6H96C6[ 2?5 E96J’== 92G6 2 42>6C2 4C6H H:E9 E96>] qJDE2?56CD H:== 92AA:=J @3=:86 E96> :? 7:=>:?8 2D H6==] %92E 4=:A H:== 8@ G:C2= 2?5 D42C6 D@>6 G@E6CD :?E@ ?@E D9@H:?8 FA 2E E96 A@==D 3642FD6 E96J E9:?< E92E E96C6 2C6 :?5:G:5F2=D :?E:>:52E:?8 G@E6CD 2== @G6C E96 A=246]k^Am kAmx7 A6@A=6 2C6 H@CC:65 23@FE :?E:>:52E:@?[ 8@ D66 7@C J@FCD6=7 E92E E9:?8D 2C6 G6CJ ?@C>2= :? J@FC ?6:893@C9@@5 \\ 6G6? :7 D@4:2= >65:2 56A:4ED 492@D] *@F H2?E E@ D66 H96E96C :E’D C2:?:?8n s@?’E FD6 2 H62E96C 2AAi {@@< @FED:56]k^Am Listen now and subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | RSS Feed | SoundStack | All Of Our Podcasts kAm{@42= 2?5 DE2E6 6=64E:@? @77:4:2=D 2C6 AC6A2C:?8 7@C >2J96> @C :?E6C76C6?46 3J E96 7656C2= 8@G6C?>6?E] %92E 5@6D?’E >62? 492@D :D =:<6=J] xE’D =@42= 2FE9@C:E:6D’ C6DA@?D:3:=:EJ E@ AC6A2C6 7@C 6G6CJE9:?8 D@ E92E E96 G@E6CD 5@?’E 92G6 E@ H@CCJ 23@FE :E]k^AmkAmp?5 E96J 2C6 2D AC6A2C65 2D x 92G6 6G6C D66? E96>] %96J’C6 AC6A2C:?8 7@C 2 =@E @7 ECF=J @FE=2?5:D9 D46?2C:@D[ 2?5 D@>6 E92E 2C6 >@C6 C62=:DE:4[ D@ E92E E96J 42? 36 C625J E@ >2<6 DFC6 E92E E96 6=64E:@? :D D>@@E9 2?5 D64FC6 2?5 766=D G6CJ ?@C>2=]k^Am k2D:56 4=2DDlQE?4>D\:?=:?6\C6=4@?E6?EQmk^2D:56mkAmq2==@E D6:KFC6 :D 2=D@ @? A6@A=6’D >:?5D[ 2?5 x E9:?< :E’D A2CE:4F=2C=J D2=:6?E 3642FD6 7656C2= 286?ED 5:5 :E :? uF=E@? r@F?EJ[ v6@C8:2[ 2?5 3642FD6 =@42= D96C:77D 5:5 :E :? #:G6CD:56[ r2=:7@C?:2] qFE E96C6 2C6 EH@ 3:8 C62D@?D E92E’D ?@E 8@:?8 E@ 92AA6? E9:D 72==]k^AmkAmu:CDE[ E96 D6:KFC6D :? 3@E9 uF=E@? r@F?EJ 2?5 #:G6CD:56 H6C6 @7 @=5 32==@ED] uF=E@? r@F?EJ’D 32==@ED D6:K65 E9:D J62C H6C6 7C@> a_a_] r2=:7@C?:2’D H6C6 >@C6 C646?E] xE H2D 2 a_ae D6:KFC6 7@C E96 a_ad 6=64E:@?D[ 3FE E9@D6 6=64E:@?D H6C6 DE:== @G6C[ 2?5 C6DF=ED 925 2=C625J 366? E2==:65]k^Am kAm%92E’D G6CJ 5:776C6?E 7C@> 2? 2EE6>AE E@ D6:K6 32==@ED H9:=6 C6DF=ED 2C6 DE:== A6?5:?8[ H9:49 :D 7=2E=J F?4@?DE:EFE:@?2=]k^Am kAm%96 D6:KFC6D :? uF=E@? r@F?EJ 2?5 #:G6CD:56 DFC6=J E@@< E96 ;F586D :? E9@D6 5:DEC:4ED 3J DFCAC:D6 — 2?5 @G6CK62=@FD =2H 6?7@C46>6?E :? E9@D6 42D6D 5:5 FD 2 72G@C] }@H E96C6 2C6 G6CJ 76H ;F586D 2?JH96C6 H9@ 2C6 8@:?8 E@ 36 DFCAC:D65 3J DF49 C6BF6DED]k^AmkAmpD E96 J62CD 8@ 3J[ 76H6C 2?5 76H6C E9:?8D 42? 42E49 FD 2== @77 8F2C5] x’G6 366? H@C<:?8 @? 6=64E:@?D 7@C 2 4@FA=6 564256D ?@H] |J =:DE @7 E9:?8D E@ H2E49 @FE 7@C :? a___ H2D =@?8] |J =:DE @7 E9:?8D E@ H2E49 @FE 7@C :? 6G6CJ DF3D6BF6?E 6=64E:@? 8C6H =@?86C] %96 =2DE 4@FA=6 @7 J62CD[ >J =:DE @7 E9:?8D E@ H2E49 @FE 7@C 92D DA:==65 @77 E96 A286 2?5 @?E@ E96 7=@@C] u@C 6=64E:@? @77:4:2=D[ :E’D 2 =@E] %96J 2C6 DEC6DD65 @FE[ F?56CA2:5 2?5 @G6CH@C<65]k^Am kAmqFE 2== E92E D2:5[ E96J’G6 8@E E9:D] %96J’C6 24EF2==J 2D AC6A2C65 2D x 92G6 6G6C D66?[ :?4=F5:?8 562=:?8 H:E9 E9:?8D E92E E96J 92G6?’E 6G6C D66? 367@C6 2?5 D9@F=5 ?6G6C 92G6 E@ 36 D66:?8]k^Am kAmx F?56CDE2?5 H9J A6@A=6 >:89E 766= 27C2:5] x F?56CDE2?5 H9J A6@A=6 E9:?< E96C6 2C6 C:D<D] p?5 E92E’D 3642FD6 :E’D ?@E ?@C>2= E@ 92G6 E96 AC6D:56?E 7@DE6C:?8 E9:D >F49 4@?46C? 23@FE E96 56>@4C2E:4 AC@46DD[ ?@C E@ 92G6 E96 AC6D:56?E E9:D F?2EE24965 E@ E96 56>@4C2E:4 AC@46DD]k^AmkAmqFE E96 AC@46DD 5@6D?’E 56A6?5 @? E96 AC6D:56?E] xE 56A6?5D @? FD]k^Am Levitt is a professor of law at Loyola Law School Los Angeles. He wrote this for The Los Angeles Times and The Conversation. 0 Comments Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Early voting started Oct. 14 in TN. What Shelby County voters need to know The early voting period runs through Oct. 29, with polling places open Monday through Saturday. Voters must bring a photo ID to cast their ballot.
Early voting started Oct. 14 in TN. What Shelby County voters need to know The early voting period runs through Oct. 29, with polling places open Monday through Saturday. Voters must bring a photo ID to cast their ballot.