Skip to Content

Swing State Poll 2024: North Carolina: Harris vs. Trump Too Close To Call, Georgia: Trump Has Slight Edge In Tight Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; NC Governor's Race: Stein Leads Robinson 51% - 41%

NORTH CAROLINA: Harris 49%, Trump 46%, Stein 1%

GEORGIA: Trump 49%, Harris 45%, West 1%, De la Cruz 1%

On the eve of the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the 2024 race for the White House is close with no clear leader in the two Southeast battleground states of North Carolina and Georgia, according to Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pea-ack) University polls of likely voters in each of the two states released today.

These are the first surveys of likely voters in North Carolina and Georgia in the 2024 presidential election race by the Quinnipiac University Poll and cannot be compared to results of earlier surveys of registered voters.

"With 32 Electoral votes to offer between them, North Carolina and Georgia loom large among the potential pathways to the presidency and neither state offers a clear-cut favorite," said Quinnipiac University Polling Analyst Tim Malloy.

NORTH CAROLINA: PRESIDENTIAL RACE

In the presidential race, Vice President Kamala Harris receives 49 percent support, former President Donald Trump receives 46 percent support, and Green Party candidate Jill Stein receives 1 percent support. All other listed third-party candidates receive less than 1 percent support.

Republicans 94 - 5 percent back Trump, while Democrats 99 - 1 percent back Harris. Independents are divided, with 47 percent backing Trump and 42 percent backing Harris.

There are wide gaps by gender and race. Men 56 - 38 percent back Trump, while women 60 - 37 percent back Harris. Black likely voters 85 - 13 percent support Harris, while white likely voters 56 - 41 percent support Trump.

In a hypothetical two-way race between Harris and Trump, Harris receives 50 percent support and Trump receives 47 percent support.

"In 2020, it was Trump over Biden in a squeaker. Tuesday night, in what may be the only debate, Kamala Harris will try to flip North Carolina, an electoral heavyweight," added Malloy.

NORTH CAROLINA: PERSONAL TRAITS

Likely voters were asked whether they would say that Harris and Trump care about the needs and problems of people like them, have good leadership skills, and are honest.

Cares about the needs and problems of people like you:

  • Harris: 47 percent say yes, 50 percent say no;
  • Trump: 48 percent say yes, 50 percent say no.

Good leadership skills:

  • Harris: 48 percent say yes, 49 percent say no;
  • Trump: 50 percent say yes, 49 percent say no.

Honest:

  • Harris: 45 percent say yes, 50 percent say no;
  • Trump: 41 percent say yes, 56 percent say no.

NORTH CAROLINA: GOVERNOR'S RACE

In the governor's race, Democrat Josh Stein receives 51 percent support, Republican Mark Robinson receives 41 percent support, Libertarian Party candidate Mike Ross receives 2 percent support, and Green Party candidate Wayne Turner and Constitution Party candidate Vinny Smith each receive 1 percent support.

Democrats 98 - 1 percent support Stein, while Republicans 85 - 8 percent support Robinson. Among independents, 46 percent support Stein and 39 percent support Robinson.

In a hypothetical two-way race, Stein receives 54 percent support and Robinson receives 42 percent support.

NORTH CAROLINA: CASTING BALLOTS

Thirty-nine percent of likely voters say they plan to vote in person on Election Day, 7 percent say they plan to vote by mail or absentee ballot, and 52 percent say they plan to vote at an early voting location.

NORTH CAROLINA: VOTE COUNT

When likely voters were asked how confident they are that votes across North Carolina will be counted accurately in the 2024 presidential election, 79 percent say they are either very confident (43 percent) or somewhat confident (36 percent), while 19 percent say they are either not so confident (11 percent) or not confident at all (8 percent).

GEORGIA: PRESIDENTIAL RACE

In the presidential race, former President Trump receives 49 percent support, Vice President Harris receives 45 percent support, and independent candidate Cornel West and The Party for Socialism and Liberation candidate Claudia De la Cruz each receive 1 percent support. All other listed third-party candidates receive less than 1 percent support.

Republicans 93 - 4 percent support Trump, while Democrats 94 - 2 percent support Harris. Independents are evenly split, with 46 percent supporting Harris and 46 percent supporting Trump.

There are wide gaps by gender and race. Men 56 - 37 percent back Trump, while women 52 - 43 percent back Harris. Black likely voters 82 - 8 percent support Harris, while white likely voters 68 - 28 percent support Trump.

In a hypothetical two-way race, Trump receives 49 percent support and Harris receives 46 percent support.

GEORGIA: PERSONAL TRAITS

Likely voters were asked whether they would say that Harris and Trump care about the needs and problems of people like them, are honest, and have good leadership skills.

Cares about the needs and problems of people like you:

  • Harris: 46 percent say yes, 49 percent say no;
  • Trump: 48 percent say yes, 51 percent say no.

Honest:

  • Harris: 44 percent say yes, 50 percent say no;
  • Trump: 42 percent say yes, 54 percent say no.

Good leadership skills:

  • Harris: 45 percent say yes, 49 percent say no;
  • Trump: 51 percent say yes, 47 percent say no.
"In Georgia, ground zero for political fireworks the last time around, the Trump ticket has an edge on leadership over Harris," added Malloy.

GEORGIA: CASTING BALLOTS

Forty-three percent of likely voters say they plan to vote in person on Election Day, 10 percent say they plan to vote by mail or absentee ballot, and 44 percent say they plan to vote at an early voting location.

GEORGIA: VOTE COUNT

When likely voters were asked how confident they are that votes across Georgia will be counted accurately in the 2024 presidential election, more than 7 in 10 (74 percent) say they are either very confident (35 percent) or somewhat confident (39 percent), while 24 percent say they are either not so confident (15 percent) or not confident at all (9 percent).

From September 4th - 8th, the Quinnipiac University Poll surveyed:

  • 969 likely voters in Georgia with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points;
  • 940 likely voters in North Carolina with a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points.

The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Doug Schwartz, Ph.D. since 1994, conducts independent, non-partisan national and state polls on politics and issues. Surveys adhere to industry best practices and are based on random samples of adults using random digit dialing with live interviewers calling landlines and cell phones.

Visit poll.qu.edu or www.facebook.com/quinnipiacpoll

Email poll@qu.edu or follow us on X (formerly known as Twitter) @QuinnipiacPoll.

Poll Questions