231 have cast one-stop ballots
By Steve Herring
Published in News on April 26, 2010 1:46 PM
As of Friday afternoon 231 people had cast one-stop ballots for the May 4 partisan primary. Another 17 absentee by mail ballots had been returned -- seven civilian, eight military and two overseas -- and there were four same-day registrations.
One-stop voting continues through this Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day at the Board of Elections office, 209 S. William St., and Saturday, the final day when the office will be open, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The William Street location is the only one-stop site in the county because of an expected low voter turnout for the primary. There are 69,232 eligible voters in the county.
"There has been no strain whatsoever," Vickie Reed, Board of Elections director, said of the decision to open just a single one-stop site. "It has pretty much been what we anticipated. We encourage everyone to come out and vote."
The polls for the May 4 primary will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
Requests for absentee by mail ballots began March 15 and will continue through Tuesday at 5 p.m., and May 3 at 5 p.m. is the deadline for returning the ballots. A change in state election laws will allow the ballots to be accepted up to three days following the election, but only if they have an official U.S. postal stamp showing it was mailed no later than Election Day.
Voters, or a near relative of the voter, may submit a handwritten request for an absentee ballot. The request must include the following:
* name of voter
* residential address of voter
* mailing address of voter (if different from residential address)
* date of birth of voter
* signature of voter or near relative (indicate relationship with voter).
A near relative is a spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, step-parent or step-child.
Qualified residents may register in person and vote at a one-stop site in their county of residence during the one-stop voting period. Registered voters may update their address and change vital information in an existing registration record at the one-stop site. They cannot change their political party affiliation. Also, same-day registration is not permitted on Election Day.
People must fill out a voter registration application and provide proof of residency at a one-stop voting site in their county of residence. That proof must include the person's current name and address.
Acceptable forms of identification include:
* North Carolina driver's license with current address
* utility bill with name and current address
* telephone or mobile phone bill
* electric or gas bill
* cable television bill
* water or sewage bill
* document with name and current address from a local, state, or U.S. government agency, such as a passport, government-issued photo ID or U.S. military ID; a license to hunt, fish, own a gun, etc.; a property or other tax bill; automotive or vehicle registration; certified documentation of naturalization; a public housing or social service agency document; a check, invoice, or letter from a government agency; birth certificate; student photo ID along with a document from the school showing the student's name and current address
* paycheck or paycheck stub from an employer or a W-2 statement
* bank statement or bank-issued credit card statement.
The registration application cannot be completely processed until the required information is provided.
For more information visit the Board of Elections' Web site, www.waynegov.com, and click on departments and select Board of Elections, or call the elections office at 731-1431.