More: A federal judge ruled late Monday to uphold North Carolina's strict GOP-championed absentee ballot rules on the eve of the state's mail ballot request deadline.

Gov. Josh Stein (D) warned about the high rejection rate in a Tuesday evening social media post.

"The State Board of Elections' last-minute changes to voting by mail are leading to thousands more absentee ballots being rejected this election " at a rejection rate twice as high as in 2022," Stein wrote. "It's infuriating. North Carolinians, please make a plan to vote this year, in person if possible. And if you're voting by mail, make sure you seal both envelopes on your ballot. Don't let them take away your vote."

Common Cause North Carolina, working with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, compiled data from 27 of the state's 100 counties, using absentee review monitors " everyday voters and volunteer advocates " as well as attorneys.

The data reveals ballots are so far being rejected at a rate of around 3% in the wake of the new GOP-backed rules.

Some of those rejections were likely not down to the new rules " ballots can be rejected for numerous reasons. But the 3% total rejection rate is double the rejection rate the state saw in its 2022 election, strongly suggesting that the new rules are having a major impact.