Big turnout so far for NC early voters, Haywood & Buncombe election officials report

Oct. 25, 2023 – Early voting for municipal elections in North Carolina began Thursday, Oct. 19, and ends Saturday, Nov. 4. Board of Elections leaders with Haywood and Buncombe counties say activity has been busy in a year bringing new requirements to vote, and in one mountain town, a change to the terms of elected leaders. Photo credit: WLOS Staff

By Rex Hodge, WLOS, Wednesday, October 25th 2023

HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) — Early voting for municipal elections in North Carolina began Thursday, Oct. 19, and ends Saturday, Nov. 4. County Board of Elections leaders say activity has been busy in a year bringing new requirements to vote, and in one mountain town, a change to the terms of elected leaders.

Early voting is proving to be very popular in North Carolina. A lot goes into the process, including where to locate sites like the Elmwood Way site in Waynesville.

The Elmwood Way site is the singular early voting spot for the county’s four municipal elections this year.

Haywood County Board of Elections Director Robbie Inman says since the Oct. 19 start, the turnout has gone extremely well.

“As of today (Wednesday), we are about 50% of what we did during the entire early one-stop period in 2019,” he says.

Inman says Elmwood Way is conveniently located for voters. The importance is something echoed by Buncombe County’s Election Director Corrine Duncan.

“We want to have sites that are located within the dense populations across the county,” says Duncan.

Inman says early voting comes with benefits.

“It also gives us in our office a chance to prepare for the Presidential primary implementing the new procedures,” he says.

This year’s municipal elections begin a requirement for photo ID’s to vote–last required in North Carolina in 2016.

“We do that here in this office and we have equipment furnished by the NC State Board of Elections to allow that to happen,” Inman says.

It requires a learning process.

“We’ve had to learn how to use them and update our software to be able to operate with Voter ID,” Duncan says.

She says poll workers have had to undergo training with the voter ID requirement, especially with provisional voting.

Inman says absentee ballots require the inclusion of a photocopy of a valid photo ID.

“They include that in a separate area that’s now affixed to the back of their envelope,” he says.

Valid ID’s now include certain government ID’s–if approved–and many college ID’s.

Change is an operative word in this election.

In Haywood County, Canton, Clyde and Maggie Valley, town boards already have staggered terms. This election will put Waynesville into that category too.

“The top two positions will receive four-year terms. The positions, results that decide third and fourth place; they will receive two-year terms,” says Inman.

Early in-person voting continues through Nov. 4. Election Day is Nov. 7.

Click here to read the full story on WLOS.