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Former VP Joe Biden visits North Carolina as early voting numbers surge

DURHAM, N.C. — With in-person early voting underway across North Carolina and breaking records, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden made a campaign stop in Durham Sunday.

According to our news partner WTVD, the Biden-Harris campaign said the former vice president will attend an event in Durham where he will encourage residents to make a plan to vote during the state’s early voting period.

After the state hit over one million votes cast in the first two days of early in-person voting, Biden released a statement impressing the importance of voting, particularly in North Carolina.

“This election continues to break records - over 1 million votes have already been cast in North Carolina in the first two days of early in-person voting. But six in seven registered voters have not yet had their say in this election. We are going to do everything we can to ensure every voter from Murphy to Manteo knows their options, whether they vote by mail, early in-person from now until October 31, or in person on Election Day. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris’s message of unity is resonating with voters who are done with division and ready to put this country back on track. North Carolina is going to be a critical part of that fight - and it’s just getting started.”

The drive-in rally started at around 1:45 p.m. at Riverside High School in Durham. WTVD reported that around 40 vehicles were in the parking lot listening to Biden speak.

After the first event, Biden will attend a virtual meeting with African American faith leaders in the area.

This marks Biden’s second campaign stop in North Carolina since securing the Democratic nomination for president.

He visited Charlotte on Sept. 23, where he hosted a Black Economic Summit and spoke with local business owners.

On Saturday, actress Kerry Washington and her husband Nnamdi Asomugha were in Durham advocating for early voting and met with Biden-Harris campaign volunteers.

Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, was originally scheduled to make a stop in Charlotte and Asheville on Thursday as early voting began, but canceled her visit when two people closely involved with the campaign tested positive for COVID-19.