Beginning Oct. 17, early voting commenced in North Carolina, for those who sought to vote early in their respective counties.

In New Hanover County, one-stop voting was held at multiple locations throughout the county, including at the New Hanover County Government Center. Candidates stood outside for many of the eligible voting days since Oct. 17, attempting to campaign for voters to vote for their platforms.

After the first week of voting, 716,463 ballots were counted, slightly lower than 2014’s early voting first week turnout of 735,205, according to a report from the News & Observer.

UNCW students have been voicing their opinion on early voting throughout the week, as The Seahawk took to the walkways and hallways of campus to gauge student’s feelings on voting and its importance.

According to a report from the New York Times, 11 million people have already voted, with the data compiled by Michael McDonald, a political science professor at the University of Florida.

Early voting ends on Nov. 3 at 1:00 p.m. Information regarding early voting in New Hanover County can be found here. Information regarding early voting in North Carolina can be found here.

Election Day is Nov. 6.

News Editor Tyler Newman can be found on Twitter @tnewman39.