Including absentee voting, 4,465,548 voters — or 57 percent of the state’s 7.8 million registered voters — cast ballots in Sunday morning’s general election, officials said, noting that turnout may be slightly higher because of the time lag between when they are voted and when the data is loaded.

Turnout in the 25 western counties affected by Hurricane Helene was stronger than the rest of the state, at 58.9 percent — about 2 percent higher than the statewide turnout, officials said.

“I’m proud of all 100 of our county boards of elections and the thousands of election workers who make this happen in their communities,” state board executive director Karen Brinson Bell said in a statement. “And I am especially proud of the workers and voters of western North Carolina. You are an inspiration to us all.”

The strong early voting turnout this year came in part in response to efforts by state and national Republicans to get people to vote early. Their message marks a stark contrast to the 2020 election, when former President Donald Trump — without any evidence to back up the claim — said mail-in voting was rife with fraud.

In addition to the president, North Carolina residents elect a new governor, attorney general and several other statewide positions, along with members of the state’s U.S. House and General Assembly.