CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A large number of voters turned out to the polls on the first day of in-person early voting Thursday in North Carolina.

The North Carolina State Board of Elections says more than 333,000 ballots were cast.

People waiting in line Thursday to cast their vote.

That's up 100 percent from 2016.

The NCSBE believes Thursday's number was a one-day record for early voting.

"By the numbers, and certainly in terms of party registration, Democrats seem to be doing very well, more so particularly among absentee by mail but also holding their own. Registered Republicans are slightly ahead of where they were at this point last year with in person,” Catawba College Politics Professor Michael Bitzer says.

Bitzer says it sets up North Carolina to be a very tight race.