Daily Update April 1, 2026: Change the Voting Years

Give Us Your FeedbackTired of endless elections and low-turnout off-years? In today’s Wilmington Standard Daily Update for Thursday, April 9, 2026, we look across the river to Belville, North Carolina, where town leaders unanimously voted to move their local races to even-numbered, partisan election years to combat voter fatigue and save resources. We break down how Wilmington’s odd-year elections see turnout collapse from nearly 70% in 2024 to around 30% in 2025, why the costs don’t really change from year to year, and how simple charter changes—already adopted by cities like Charlotte and Winston-Salem—could give voters a breather while strengthening local democracy.Support the show