Tag Archive for: #vancecountyboardofelections

TownTalk: James Baines – Vance County Board of Elections

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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.

TownTalk Airs on WIZS M-F at 11 a.m.

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Haley Rawles New Director At Vance County Board Of Elections

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The Vance County Board of Elections has selected Haley Rawles to become its new director. Rawles, former deputy director in Granville County, started her new job today, Thursday, Apr. 4.

“I’m super excited to be here in Vance,” Rawles told WIZS News earlier today in a telephone interview.

In a recent interview, Board Chair James Baines said the county had made its selection, but was awaiting final approval from Raleigh to begin the transition.

Former director Jennifer Cocklin will stay on another week, Rawles said.

Once they get that approval, the candidate can go before Clerk of Superior Court Henry Gupton and take the oath of office. Rawles said she expects to be sworn in next week.

“We plan to do our best for the citizens of Vance County,” Baines said.

The Local Skinny! Mar. 5 Primary Elections

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The March 5 primary elections are upon us, and local elections officials are gearing up to make sure all goes smoothly.

There are a couple of updates from state elections officials that could have an impact on how local officials process the early voting and absentee votes next week.

With only two contested races in the upcoming primary, local officials should be able to manage without too much trouble, but instead of tabulating the early votes in advance of the 7:30 p.m. poll closing, they have to wait until after the polls close to make those tabulations.

WIZS News will be at the Vance County Board of Elections office Tuesday evening to report all the election results as they become available.

Since this is the first time the new rules will be in effect, it’s unclear just how long the early voting results may take, but it could be an hour or more before unofficial results can be posted.

One other change involves absentee ballots. Those ballots must be received no later than 7:30 p.m. on Election Day; this rule replaces the previous rule that allowed for a three-day grace period to receive absentee ballots.

Unlike early voting results, absentee-by-mail results can be tabulated before the polThose absentee results will likely be the first to appear publicly for any given county when the polls close. They will include all absentee ballots returned to the county boards of elections before Election Day. Under state law, ballots returned on Election Day are approved and added to the vote totals during the 10-day period after Election Day known as the “canvass.”

Canvass is the process of ensuring votes have been counted correctly and required audits have been completed, culminating in the certification of results during meetings of every county board of elections.

By law, these canvass meetings will be held by each county board of elections at 11 a.m. on Friday, Mar. 15. The state board will meet at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Mar. 26 to finalize primary results.

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Vance County Manager Sees Growing Vacancies As “An Opportunity”

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According to the Vance County website, there are 22 departments within county government, from administration to tax administration. Of those 22, County Manager C. Renee Perry reports that four departments face vacancies in the director role after one director was fired and three more turned in resignations.

That’s a lot of vacancies, but Perry, now in her fourth month as county manager, remains positive: “It gives me the opportunity to build my team and move forward…I’m looking at it as an opportunity.”

Perry said Vance County Economic Development Director McKinley Perkinson’s last day is Mar. 19; she was named to the job in November 2021. Perkinson told WIZS that she is leaving for another opportunity, but wasn’t ready to divulge what that opportunity is.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin has resigned her post. Cocklin said she’d see the county through the Mar. 5 primary elections and will leave on Mar. 29.

Cocklin said her resignation has nothing to do with the job, but she cited personal reasons for deciding to step down. “The board has been very good to me, as well as the poll workers,” she said.

The county elections board is responsible for naming her successor, Perry noted.The Department of Social Services has an interim director Tilda Marshall, who stepped in when Denita DeVega resigned. Perry said DeVega is the new DSS director in Nash County. The DSS director reports to the DSS board, which is charged with finding a replacement.

All that on top of the Feb. 9 firing of County Deputy Manager/Chief Finance Officer Katherine Bigelow, and Vance County is facing some big holes in its administrative leadership.

If you count new Planning Director Sherry Moss and Animal Services Director William Coker, both of whom assumed their duties in the last month or so – and County Manager Perry, who came on board in November 2023, that’s seven of the 22 departments -close to one-third of the county’s departments.

Perry, sounding undeterred, said Vance County “is not unique in the amount of vacancies…other counties are experiencing the same.” She said she would continue to recruit and look for the best candidates for the open positions, adding that she hopes that prospective employees will see her as “a manager who wants to support them and lead Vance County in a different direction.”

Early Voting Underway Through Mar. 2 For March 5 Primary Election

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One-stop early voting is now underwat and will continue through Saturday, Mar. 2.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin reminds voters they have two locations where they can cast their votes in advance of the Mar. 5 primary:

  • The county’s Youth Services building (Eaton-Johnson gymnasium) at 500 N. Beckford Dr.
  • Aycock Recreational Center, 307 Carey Chapel Rd.

Weekday hours are from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; the polls will be open Saturday, Mar. 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Voters will be asked to show a photo ID.

Visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/ to learn more.

 

Early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 15 For March 5 Primary

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Early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 15 for the upcoming March primary elections, and there are two contested local races on the ballot for Vance County voters to consider, according to information from Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

There are a total of four seats on the board of commissioners, as well as three seats on the board of education; District 2 Commissioner Archie Taylor faces challenger from fellow Democrat Valencia Perry to determine who will be on the November 5 ballot.

In the District 5 School Board race, Democratic incumbent Linda Cobb faces Democratic challenger William Earl Purvis in the primary election.

The other seats on the ballot include Districts 1, 5 and 6 for the board of commissioners and seats for Districts 3 and 4.

Each candidate is running unopposed in the primary election; however, there are two candidates – one Republican and one Democrat – in the race for the District 1 seat on the board of commissioners.

The incumbent, Democrat Carolyn Faines, faces opposition from Republican challenger William Heitman.

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Board Of Elections: Week 1 Of Filing Period Yields Three Candidates In 2024 County Elections

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UPDATE 6PM ON 12-15-23

It looks like there will be two contested seats on the Vance County Board of Commissioners in next year’s election, with two candidates running for the District 1 seat and two candidates running in District 2. The two-week filing period ended at 12 noon today, Friday, Dec. 15.

Valencia L. Perry filed Friday for the District 2 seat and will face incumbent Archie B. Taylor, Jr., according to information provided by Shelly Wood, deputy director of the Vance County Board of Elections; Taylor filed last week. In addition to Taylor, three other commissioners filed to retain their seats on the board: Carolyn Faines in District 1; Leo Kelly in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster in District 6.

Faines also faces a challenger in next year’s election. William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat.

There are three seats up for election on the Vance County Board of Education, with District 5 the only contested race of the three. Incumbent Linda Cobb filed for re-election. She will face challenger William Earl Purvis, who filed on Wednesday as a Democratic candidate. Incumbent Dorothy Williams Gooche filed as the Democratic candidate for District 3 and Ayana Fritz Lewis filed as a Democratic candidate for District 4.

Primary elections will be held on March 5, 2024 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

(PLEASE ALLOW THIS CORRECTION TO THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW.  SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 WAS ELECTED IN 2022 AND IS NOT UP FOR ELECTION AGAIN UNTIL 2026.)

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Original Post:

As the first week of the filing period for the 2024 general elections coms to a close, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin reports that two people have filed for county commissioners’ seats and one candidate has filed for re-election to the Board of Education. Candidates have until noon on Friday, Dec. 15 to file for four seats on the board of commission and four seats on the Vance County Board of Education.

Linda Cobb filed Friday as the Democratic candidate to retain her School Board District 5 seat.

On Thursday, William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the county board of commissioners, currently held by Carolyn Faines.

Leo Kelly, who was elected vice chair during Monday’s regular meeting of the county commissioners, filed for re-election to the District 5 seat on Tuesday.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

The Local Skinny! Local Filing Period Now Open

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The filing period is now open for the 2024 elections. Vance County voters will elect four members of the county commissioners and four members of the board of education.

So far, neither incumbents nor challengers have filed. The filing period opened Monday, Dec. 4 at 12 noon and will close on Friday, Dec. 15 at 12 noon, according to Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Kelly filed on Tuesday, Dec. 5 for the District 5 seat.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary Elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 1,3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

Cocklin clarified that any filing fee more than $50 must be paid by check.

Currently, Gloria White represents District 1, Dorothy Gooch represents District 3, Ed Wilson represents District 4 and Linda Cobb represents District 5.

Additional information can be found on the Vance County Board of Elections website:  https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/upcoming-candidate-filing-information/.

 

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Mayoral Runoff Election Tomorrow, Along With Kittrell, Middleburg Contests

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Close to 2,000 Henderson residents voted during the early-voting period for tomorrow’s mayoral runoff election between Melissa Elliott and Greg Etheridge.

If you were NOT one of the 1,940 who has already voted in the runoff election, Election Day is tomorrow – Tuesday, Nov. 7. The polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

Registered voters should be prepared to show a photo ID.

And we’ve done the math for you: 9,358 registered voters in Henderson minus the 1,940 who cast their votes early leaves 7,418 potential ballots to be cast in the 13-hour election day window across the city’s precincts.

Voters will cast ballots in the towns of Kittrell and Middleburg Tuesday, as well, said Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

In Kittrell, incumbent Jerry C. Joyner is seeking another term as mayor and is running unopposed. The three candidates running for Town Council, also incumbents, are Mary Jo Floyd, Susan Pulley and Robert Tunstall.

Middleburg Mayor Ray Bullock is running unopposed for another two-year term, Cocklin stated. According to a list of candidates on the board of elections website, the candidates for Middleburg town commissioner are Hazel Baskett, Shirley Bullock and Mamie Turner.

Visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/ to learn more.

Early Voting Underway In Nov. 7 Henderson Mayor Runoff

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Despite an on-again, off-again start, early voting for the Nov. 7 mayoral runoff election began today (Thursday) and will continue through Saturday, Nov. 4.

City residents may come to the Andrea L. Harris Operations Center, 900 S. Beckford Dr., to cast their vote weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. The lone Saturday early voting day scheduled is from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., according to information from Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin and Board Chair James Baines.

Registered voters who live within city limits may vote in the nonpartisan municipal election; elections officials remind voters that state law requires voters to show an acceptable form of photo ID to cast their ballots. The only two candidates on the ballot in the Nov. 7 runoff election are Melissa Elliott and Greg Etheridge.

Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them beginning today, Oct. 19. A voter can fill out an absentee ballot request at  https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail/detailed-instructions-vote-mail or by completing a request form provided by the county board of elections office. The request must be received through the website or by the Vance County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2023.

The voter registration deadline for this election was last Friday, Oct. 13, but eligible individuals who were not registered by that deadline may register and vote at the early voting site during the early voting period. New registrants will be required to provide proof of residence.

To learn more, call the Vance County Board of Elections Office at 252.492.3730 or email vance.boe@vancecounty.org.