NC State Board of Elections

Guidelines for Assistance to Voters

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

Recently, questions have arisen about the law pertaining to assistance to voters at voting sites. The State Board of Elections will investigate credible allegations of improper assistance.

The following are guidelines regarding assistance to voters:

State and federal law provide disabled and illiterate voters the right to request assistance from a person of the voter’s choice, except for the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union.

There are no legal restrictions on the number of times a person can assist different voters if the voters qualify for assistance and proper procedures are followed.

Who may receive assistance

Any voter, regardless of whether they have a disability, may receive assistance from a near relative. Elections officials should avoid prying questions about the voter’s preference for assistance.

A voter whose disability prevents him or her from entering the voting booth or marking a ballot without assistance, or a voter who is illiterate, may get help from any person, except for the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. Not all disabilities are immediately apparent, but a voter who requires assistance entering the voting booth or marking a ballot due to a mental disability is just as entitled to assistance as a voter whose disability may be easily seen. N.C.G.S. § 163-166.8.

Requesting assistance

A voter who needs assistance must request it from the chief judge upon entering the voting place and identify the person the voter desires to provide such assistance. Certain disabilities may affect voters’ ability to vocalize their request, but federal law still provides that such a disabled voter is entitled to assistance. Elections officials will exercise their best efforts to understand and respond to individual requests for assistance however communicated. State administrative law provides that an election official may prompt the voter if needed if it appears the voter may be requesting assistance.

In many cases, a voter in need of assistance will be accompanied into the voting place by an assistant. Alternatively, the voter may—but is not required to—request the assistance of an election official. If the assistant helps mark the ballot, the assistant is required to mark the ballot as directed by the voter.

Assistants are prohibited from persuading or inducing any voter to cast a vote in any particular way or to vote for any particular candidate. They are also prohibited from communicating to others about how the voter voted.

Script for requesting assistance

The State Board of Elections provides a script for elections officials to use when a voter is accompanied by someone who appears to be an assistant. Elections officials are prohibited from asking the voter to identify or explain the nature of the voter’s disability. The script should be modified if the voter’s disability limits their ability to communicate. See Numbered Memo 2020-16 for the script.

Intimidation of voters

Voters have a right to freely enter the voting enclosure without fear of intimidation or harassment. It is a federal crime to intimidate, threaten, or coerce a voter with the purpose of interfering with the right of the voter to vote. Photographing or videotaping voters for the purpose of intimidation is prohibited. Observers will be ejected from the polling place if they interfere with or communicate with voters. See Numbered Memo 2020-30 for additional information.

Authority of county board of elections

It is the duty of the chief judge or one-stop site manager to ensure peace and good order at the voting place, which includes the duty to remove observers who intimidate or harass voters, and persons who unlawfully attempt to assist voters. If the chief judge or one-stop site manager needs additional support, they are to contact their county board of elections.

Warren County Logo

Warren County Donates Equipment for VIPER Tower Improvements

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County completed the final task in its latest partnership with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) and the Warren County Firemen’s Association- the donation and handoff of approximately $174,000 of equipment to make public safety improvements to the VIPER towers (owned and maintained by NCSHP) in Warren County.

Currently, only Warren County EMS and the Sheriff’s Office have the equipment to communicate on the VIPER network. With the county’s support to fund grant writing assistance, the Warren County Firemen’s Association applied for and received a $702,900 federal grant – matched by $66,900 from Warren County in FY 20 – to purchase updated radio equipment for all volunteer fire departments to communicate on this network. The equipment on the VIPER towers still needs to be upgraded in order for these radios to work.

“This partnership with NCSHP is another level of growth in emergency services infrastructure for Warren County citizens,” stated Warren County Chairman of the Board of Commissioners Tare Davis. “This much-needed advancement of new-age communication allows our fire departments to have what is necessary to keep us safe and respond to our county’s needs.”

The funding for the equipment was included in the FY 21 budget in fire protection. The county was required by NCSHP to purchase this equipment in order for these improvements to be made; by donating the equipment to NCSHP, the equipment will be maintained and upgraded by the state moving forward.

“Warren County has chosen a prudent course for designing a reliable interoperability communication system among all public safety agencies within Warren County by partnering into the state-owned VIPER system,” stated Dennis Paschall, Director of Warren County Emergency Services. “This phase will bring VIPER interoperability into volunteer fire departments that is a critical component in having VIPER capabilities within all the public safety agencies for natural and manmade responses.”

“As a county commissioner and fire commissioner, I’m grateful we have entered into this commitment for our brave men and women of our fire departments who volunteer every day,” Davis said.

For more information, contact the Warren County Manager’s Office at (252) 257-3115.

VCS High School Athletic Schedule

Vance Co. Schools Begins Staggered Phase-In of High School Athletics

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools will permit a staggered phase-in of high school athletics beginning the week of November 2, 2020, as outlined in the schedule included below. This phase-in is consistent with expectations outlined by the NC High School Athletic Association and endorsed by the Vance County Board of Education.

Student-athletes involved in volleyball, cross country, cheerleading, basketball, football or swimming, along with their parent/guardian, MUST attend a required virtual orientation meeting via Zoom on Wednesday, November 4, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. All high school students will receive a zoom link in their school email. This meeting will provide important information for our student-athletes and their parents.

Should you have any questions, please contact the High School Athletic Director, Joe Sharrow at (252) 430-6000 or by email at jsharrow@vcs.k12.nc.us. The latest information will be updated on the VCHS website (www.vcs.k12.nc.us/vchs).

A decision regarding middle school athletics will be announced in the near future.

NC State Board of Elections

Vast Majority of NC Votes to be Tallied and Reported Tonight

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The N.C. State Board of Elections anticipates that the results reported by the end of election night will include 97 percent or more of all ballots cast in North Carolina in the 2020 general election.

As always, the remaining ballots, including provisional ballots and absentee by-mail ballots that arrive after Election Day, will be counted and added to the totals during the post-election canvass period.

As they become available after all polls close Tuesday night, unofficial election results will be posted here: https://er.ncsbe.gov/.

“Please remember that all results reported on election night are unofficial. We will post results as quickly as possible, but our primary objective will be accuracy more than speed,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “State and county elections officials take many steps after every election to ensure all eligible votes are counted and the results are audited and accurate.”

Please see below for details on how votes are counted, how and when results are reported on election night and information about post-election audits, recounts and canvass.

What votes will be counted and reported on election night 2020?

The vast majority of all votes cast in the 2020 general election in North Carolina will be reported as unofficial results on November 3. All results are unofficial until the statewide certification, or canvass, scheduled for November 24, during a meeting of the State Board. (See “What happens after election night?” below.)

If all goes as expected, the following unofficial results will be reported to the public on election night through the Election Results Dashboard:

  • All in-person one-stop early votes
  • All by-mail absentee votes received by the county boards of elections by 5 p.m. Monday, November 2
  • All Election Day votes, excluding provisional ballots, which must be researched post-election to determine voter eligibility

When will results be reported to the public?

The State Board will begin posting results publicly after polls close statewide at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. However, the State Board may extend voting hours at a polling place if polls are delayed in opening for more than 15 minutes or are interrupted for more than 15 minutes after opening. Any polling extension may not be longer than the delay in voting. No results will be posted until all polls are closed.

The State Board will issue a notice if the State Board meets on Election Day to consider polling hours extensions. The public will be able to listen to the meeting remotely.

Below is an estimated timeline of the expected reporting of unofficial results to the Election Results Dashboard. Reporting times will vary by county. Results are updated every few minutes as they come in from the counties.

  • 7:30 p.m.: Polls close.
  • 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.: Counties report results of in-person, one-stop early voting and absentee by-mail ballots received by 5 p.m. Monday, November 2.
  • 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.: Precinct officials hand-deliver Election Day results to county boards of elections offices.
  • 8:30 p.m. – midnight: Election Day precinct results are reported; reporting continues until all Election Day results are posted.

Various factors can affect the timing of results.

What happens after election night?

Elections are far from over on election night. This has always been the case. In the days that follow, the county boards of elections count the remaining ballots, research the eligibility of each provisional ballot, conduct a series of post-election audits, and conduct any necessary recounts. The State Board conducts additional audits to ensure a fair and accurate count.

These post-election processes culminate in the final certification of results, also called canvass. County boards of elections will hold their canvass meeting at 11 a.m. November 13. The State Board will meet on November 24 to certify the election.

For more information about NC election audits and canvass, see the Post-Elections Procedures and Audits webpage.

Absentee ballots. Mail-in absentee ballots postmarked on or before Election Day will be accepted by county boards of elections until 5 p.m. November 12. Overseas and military absentee ballots also are accepted through November 12. These ballots will be added to the unofficial results during the canvass process.

Provisional ballot meetings. Provisional ballots are cast when an individual’s name does not appear on the poll book or other questions arise about that person’s eligibility to vote or to vote a particular ballot.

Each county board of elections meets before certifying the results to make decisions on provisional applications submitted by voters. If the board determines that the voter is eligible, the provisional ballot is counted. If the voter is eligible for some contests on the ballot but not others, the eligible contests will be counted. These ballots will be added to the unofficial results during the canvass process.

Sample Audit. Every county conducts a sample hand-to-eye count of ballots in randomly selected precincts and one-stop locations to confirm results tabulated by machine. Counties must conduct their hand-to-eye counts in public.

County canvass. County boards of elections will certify their results at public meetings held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 13. The county board certifies contests and referenda within the county boundaries.

Recounts. Any mandatory recounts would be conducted by county boards of elections after the county canvass and before the state canvass. For statewide contests, the vote difference must be 10,000 votes or fewer for a candidate who is the runner-up to demand a recount. For non-statewide contests, the difference between the candidates must be 1 percent or less of the total votes cast in the contest. The recount demand must be in writing and received by the State Board of Elections no later than noon on Tuesday, November 17. If a recount is demanded, the State Board of Elections office would issue a schedule, and the counties would conduct recounts individually during open meetings.

For contests under jurisdiction of county boards of elections, a demand for recount must be made in writing to the county board of elections by 5 p.m. Monday, November 16.

N.C.G.S. § 163-182.7

See general guidelines for recounts: http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2008%20-%20elections/chapter%2009%20-%20conduct%20of%20vote%20recounts%20by%20county%20boards%20of%20elections/08%20ncac%2009%20.0106.html.

And see Recount of Optical Scan Ballots: http://reports.oah.state.nc.us/ncac/title%2008%20-%20elections/chapter%2009%20-%20conduct%20of%20vote%20recounts%20by%20county%20boards%20of%20elections/08%20ncac%2009%20.0107.html

State canvass. The State Board of Elections will certify statewide results for all federal, statewide, multi-district and judicial contests at a public meeting held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24. Results in each contest are not considered official until certified by the State Board. After state canvass, the board of elections with jurisdiction over each contest will issue a certificate of election to the prevailing candidate.

5 Important Facts About Election Security in 2020

  1. Under state law, all voting systems used in North Carolina must use paper ballots, producing a paper trail that can be recounted and audited. Every voter in all 100 counties will cast a paper ballot.
  2. Election night results are always unofficial. In the days that follow the election, election officials will ensure every eligible ballot is counted. They will audit and certify the results. This is a regular process after each election.
  3. In North Carolina, about 2,660 polling places will be open on Election Day and perhaps one million voters will cast ballots on November 3. Unexpected issues arise during every election, such as power outages, voting equipment malfunctions, tabulator or printer jams and long lines at some voting places. These are not indications of malicious activity, and processes are in place to respond to each of these scenarios.
  4. Because of COVID-19, North Carolinians are voting by mail in record numbers this year. All ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day to be counted. Because of the surge in by-mail voting, more ballots than usual will be counted after Election Day. This means more North Carolinians will be able to vote successfully, despite the pandemic.
  5. Every polling place is staffed with bipartisan, trained officials from the local community who take an oath to uphold state elections laws and work together to ensure election security. Bipartisan State and county boards of elections oversee all aspects of elections in North Carolina.
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Town Talk 11/02/20: Cooper vs. Forest, Tillis vs. Cunningham

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Brandon Boyd, Vance County resident, businessman and guest co-host, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

Boyd discussed the backgrounds and platforms of North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (Democrat) and challenger Dan Forest (Republican) as well as US Senator for NC Thom Tillis (Republican) and challenger Cal Cunningham (Democrat).

To hear the audio click play…

Locally, eligible Vance County residents will decide if Democrat Archie Taylor, Jr., the incumbent for the District 2 representative of the Vance County Board of Commissioners, will keep the position he has held since 2012 or if challenger Michael Fisher (running as unaffiliated) will take the seat.

Voters will also decide if Tommy Hester (Republican) of Vance County or Ernestine Bazemore (Democrat) of Bertie County will serve in the District 3 NC Senate seat.

With the conclusion of early voting on October 31, North Carolinians have Tuesday, November 3 (Election Day) to vote in the 2020 General Election. Those voting tomorrow must report to their designated polling place; voting hours are from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Early morning and just before closing are typically the busiest times on Election Day. Those in line by 7:30 p.m. will be able to vote.

As a reminder, voters are not required to show ID for the 2020 election but will be asked to provide their name and address.

According to Vance County Board of Elections Director Faye Gill, 17,051 Vance County residents, or 58.6 percent, participated in early voting. Vance County currently has 29,075 registered voters.

In 2016, 66.3 percent of Vance County voters cast ballots in total (early voting and Election Day), according to the State Board of Elections.

To hear the interview with Boyd in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 11-02-20 – Harvest Timber

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 2 PM Monday – Thursday.

Wayne Adcock

Jerry ‘Wayne’ Adcock, Former Vance County Schools Superintendent, Dies at 73

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-Obituary and photo courtesy Sossamon Funeral Home

Jerry “Wayne” Adcock 

Former Superintendent of Vance County Schools, Jerry Wayne Adcock, age 73, of Henderson, passed away on November 1, 2020, at Granville House in Oxford.

Born in Vance County on December 4, 1946, he was the son of the late Betty Fleming Adcock and Acy Nelson Adcock.

Wayne was a graduate of Aycock High School, received a Bachelor of Science Degree from UNC in Chapel Hill and a Master’s Degree in Education and Educational Specialist Degree from East Carolina. He was a lifelong resident of Vance County, except for the four years he lived in Chapel Hill.

Former Superintendent of Vance County Schools, Jerry Wayne Adcock, age 73, of Henderson, passed away on November 1, 2020, at Granville House in Oxford.

Wayne began his career in education teaching eighth-grade social studies, health and P.E. in 1969-70 in Townsville High School. He taught civics and algebra 1970-71 at Carver Elementary. He was the lead teacher at Nutbush Elementary, became assistant principal at E.M. Rollins for one year, principal at L.B. Yancey for five years, Clark Street for one year, Carver for two years, Henderson Junior High for 10 years, Vance Senior High four and a half years and Eaton Johnson Middle School for two years.

He served as superintendent of Vance County Schools from July 1996 until January 2003.

He was a member, former deacon and Sunday School teacher at Carey Baptist Church where a graveside service will be held on Thursday, November 5, 2020, at 2 p.m. by Rev. Matt Cowan and Rev. Frank Sossamon.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Susan Steed Adcock. He is also survived by a son, John Nelson Adcock and his wife Mercedes, two grandchildren Hugo David and Eleanor Lylias Adcock all of New Orleans. He is preceded in death by a son, David Wayne Adcock.

Wayne loved the Lord, his family, his Carey Baptist Church family and all who worked for or attended Vance County Schools. He was truly a people person who loved to see former students and to find out what they were doing with their life. Also, Wayne loved the Yankees, the Tarheels and Doo Whoop music.

During his retirement, he enjoyed going to Florida to spring training to see the Yankees play. He also enjoyed many trips to Pennsylvania and New York to attend concerts.

The family would like to thank the staff at Granville House, Kindred Hospice, Dr. Bill Dennis and Lynette Choplin for the care Wayne received.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Carey Baptist Church P. O. Box 637 Henderson, N.C.; Henderson YMCA 380 Ruin Creek Road, Henderson, N.C. or Vance County Public School Foundation 1724 Graham Avenue, Henderson, N.C. 27536.

Everyone that attends the graveside service is asked to please practice social distancing and wear an appropriate face covering.

Arrangements are by Sossamon Funeral Home. Online condolences may be made at www.sossamonfuneralhome.com.

Remembering Adcock on WIZS this morning, John Charles Rose said, “Mr. Adcock was someone who was very close to me and very dear to many people in Vance County. In my life, I’m not sure I’ve ever met a more dignified man. He was always in control of situations in the schools and was a strong man in life.”

Click to hear audio in remembrance of Wayne Adcock…

Local News Audio

Noon News 11/2/20: COVID Statistics, Election Day, Rescheduled Trick-or-Treat

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  • Local, updated COVID statistics
  • Election Day (Nov. 3) Voting
  • H-V Recreation & Parks Department’s “Trail of Terror” Rescheduled
  • Downtown Henderson Trick-or-Treat Drive-Thru Rescheduled
  • SHPHC to Hold Revival With Evangelist Mick Snider
  • Vance County and Granville County Board of Commissioners to Meet This Evening

Click Play for Full Details and Local News Audio…

Jimmy Gooch Sworn In

Gooch Sworn In as District 7 Granville County Commissioner

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

Jimmy Gooch of Butner was sworn in as a Granville County Commissioner on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. Appointed to the Board of Commissioners at their October 19 meeting, Gooch will represent District 7.

The swearing-in ceremony was officiated by Board Chair David T. Smith at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center. Holding the Bible for the oath was Vickie Smoak, wife of former Comm. Edgar Smoak, who passed away on September 11.

Jimmy Gooch of Butner was sworn in as County Commissioner on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

After the ceremony, Wendy Gooch, wife of the newly-sworn-in Commissioner, placed the lapel pin on her husband’s jacket.

As a representative of Granville County Government and the Board, Gooch has been assigned to the following committees:

  • Audit Review Committee
  • Board of Equalization and Review
  • Opioid Advisory Committee
  • Public Safety Liaison
  • Soil and Water Board Liaison
  • Transportation Plan Work Group
  • Water/Sewer Matters Liaison

Born and raised in the Wilton community of Granville County, Gooch is a graduate of South Granville High School and has extensive experience in water management. He is retired from the City of Durham.

Gooch previously served on the Butner Town Council, having been elected in 2017. In that role, he served as the Town’s representative to the Granville County Animal Control Advisory Committee and the Granville Greenways Advisory Council, as well as serving as a member of the Camp Butner Society and Chairman of the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority Board.

I Voted Sticker

Majority of Vance Co. Voters Cast Early Ballots

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-Information courtesy Vance County Board of Elections

Saturday, October 31 marked the last day of early voting and the last day to register to vote in the 2020 General Election.

According to Vance County Board of Elections Director Faye Gill, 17,051 Vance County residents, or 58.6 percent, participated in early voting. Vance County currently has 29,075 registered voters.

To vote on Tuesday, November 3 (Election Day), voters should go to their regular, assigned polling place.

With questions, please call the Vance County Board of Elections at (252) 492-3730.