No doubt, county boards of elections all across the state – and beyond – have been preparing for quite some time for the launch of in-person early voting and requests for absentee ballots in advance of the Nov. 5 General Election.
Vance County is no exception, but local elections officials have had an extra layer of logistics to deal with, thanks to the results of a couple of routine inspections – one by the fire department and one by Homeland Security.
As a result, Vance County Board of Elections Chair James Baines said folks who visit the elections board offices in the Henry A. Dennis Building in downtown Henderson may notice a few changes. And if they want to come down to witness election results, they may find themselves on the balcony outside.
Turns out, Baines said on Monday’s TownTalk, that the elections board is going to have to “downsize” the number of people allowed into the space to wait for elections returns, adding that attendance for previous election nights “had been exceeding capacity that is safe and secure.”
“In November, when they all come, there will be a limited space for poll workers,” Baines said, adding that he and local elections officials will adhere to the fire code recommendations.
An inspection by a Homeland Security agent produced findings that were passed on to the county manager and county commissioners, he said.
The agent “told the director that the election board was not a safe place for the director or any staff in Vance County” and recommended that the director’s office and that of the deputy director be moved from the front of the office space to the rear “for security reasons.”
According to Baines, Elections Board Director Hayley Rawls submitted the findings to County Manager C. Renee Perry, who relayed the information to the board of commissioners for action.
In the meantime, elections officials continue to plan for the start of in-person early voting, which begins Thursday, Oct. 17.
Vance County has two early voting locations – one at Aycock Rec Center on Carey Chapel Road and the second at the former Eaton-Johnson gym located on the county government complex on Beckford Drive.
Baines reminds voters that the City of Henderson Operations Center is no longer a site for early voting.
Early voting continues for “two weeks, back-to-back,” from Baines said, “and the last time (residents) can early vote will be Saturday, Nov. 2. Polls close that day at 3 p.m.
Absentee ballots will be mailed out beginning Friday, Sept. 6. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, Baines said.
All completed ballots must be received by the time the polls close at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Completed ballots may be returned in person to the board of elections office or to either of the early voting locations, Baines said. Any voters casting an absentee ballot needs to make sure that there are two signatures on the form – the voter’s signature and the signature of a witness.
Baines said requests for absentee ballots usually come from nursing homes, the homebound elderly, military personnel and people “who don’t wat to get out into the hustle and bustle” of election day.
“I’m pretty sure, with the general election coming up – and it’s going to be one for the books – that we’ll be getting large requests from across the county” for absentee ballots.
Visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/ or call 252.492.3730 to learn more.
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