With the proposal to consolidate five voting precincts into two approved by the N.C. State Board of Elections, County Elections Director Haley Rawles presented the plan to county commissioners at their meeting on Monday.
North Henderson 1 and East Henderson 1 precincts are going to become Central Henderson voting precinct, and voters will go to the campus of the former Eaton Johnson Middle School to cast their ballots.
The Hilltop, South Henderson 1 and South Henderson 2 precincts will merge to become South Henderson precinct. Perry Memorial Library will be the voting place for that precinct.
Rawles told commissioners that no candidate seats will be affected; the consolidation will not change the ward or district.
Rawles said information about the changes in precinct locations will be mailed to residents in August and the information also will be published on the board of elections webpage and shared with local news outlets.
The Vance County Board of Elections voted in February 2024 to set the process in motion, and it got notice of approval from then-state director Karen Brinson Bell.
The county elections board had been talking about consolidating precincts for some time, she said. “This has been something that they’ve wanted for years,” Rawles said. This plan reduces from 12 to 9 the number of voting precincts in the county.
More voters are choosing to cast ballots during the early voting period, which has reduced the number of voters who come to the polls on election day. She provided numbers fromr recent elections to commissioners – one precinct had 0 voters come in on election day.
She said the consolidation could reduce by 21 the number of poll workers needed on election day.
In addition to reducing the number of workers, Rawles said the move will reduce confusion for voters about their polling place and will increase the safety and accessibility for voters – and staff. It also will simplify delivery and pickup of elections equipment by county employees.
“The Board of Elections is trying to save the county some money,” said Elections Board Chair James Baines.
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