By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Early in-person voting in North Carolina ends on Saturday, but the number of people who have cast ballots by this method already has exceeded the total from four years ago, according to the State Board of Elections.

For the fall 2020 elections, a record 3.63 million people voted during the 17-day early-voting period at hundreds of sites in all 100 counties. This year, the state exceeded that total by late Thursday, with nearly 3.8 million people casting early in-person ballots as of Friday afternoon, a board news release said.

When traditional absentee, military and overseas voter ballots are included through Friday afternoon, the number rises to nearly 4.01 million ballots — more than 51% of the state’s 7.83 million registered voters. Overall voter turnout for the November 2020 elections was 75.2%.

Early in-person voting, which ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, has become increasing popular in the presidential battleground state over several election cycles. People can simultaneously register to vote and cast ballots at early voting sites.

This year’s strong early turnout has come partly in response to a push by state and national Republicans to get people to vote early. Their message marks a sharp contrast to the 2020 election, when former President Donald Trump — without any evidence to back the claim — said mail-in voting was rife with fraud.

Although the number of registered Democrats statewide is 109,000 higher than the number of registered Republicans, over 50,000 more GOP registered voters than Democrats had voted early, by absentee ballot or other method through Thursday, according to board data.

Early in-person voting also has been brisk in western counties damaged by historic flooding caused by Hurricane Helene in late September.

All but four of 80 early-voting sites initially planned for the 25 counties were open on the first day, Oct. 17. And a state law enacted last week required elections boards in Henderson and McDowell counties to open more early-voting sites this week.

“Voter turnout in the 25 Helene disaster counties continue to outpace voter turnout statewide,” state board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell told reporters. “We are very proud to say that and tremendously proud of the resilient and strong people of western North Carolina.”

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