The first step of the 2024 election is officially underway in North Carolina. Candidate filing opened at noon Monday.

Candidates across the state came out to their local elections offices and the State Board of Elections in Raleigh to make their candidacy official throughout the day. Now, there's even more attention on next year's massive elections. 

Dr. Chris Cooper, of Western Carolina University, and Dr. Michael Bitzer, of Catawba College, are two politics professors who join us to break down the biggest upcoming races.

Plus, candidates continue to work on winning over one of the most important electorates in our state — rural voters. The group has long been coveted by both sides of the aisle, as they could help swing races in one direction or the other.

But how can candidates win those votes and what matters to those voters? 

To answer this question, we've brought in a panel of experts: Cynthia Wallace, the executive director of the New Rural Project; Brad Crone, the president of Campaign Connections; and Patrick Sebastian, who leads Tar Heel Targeting and Opinion Diagnostics.