I wanted to take some time to update the OP community on the status of Early Voting for the 2012 General Election.
At its June meeting, the OC BOE approved the usage of four sites: Rams Head, Seymour Center, Carrboro Town Hall, the OC BOE office, and a nothern Orange location to be determined (not unanimous). They also established early voting times for Seymour, BOE and Carrboro Town Hall (unanimous). However, the motion for Saturday voting for 9am to 3pm was not unanimous.
At its July meeting, the OC BOE approved the times for Rams Head and signaled that it was still interested in a fifth northern Orange site, but that it was increasingly difficult to find such a location since there were concerns about Mt. Zion (the early vote site during the primary).
At its meeting today, the BOE has now approved a total five sites: Rams Head, Seymour Center, Carrboro Town Hall, the OC BOE office, and Mt. Zion AME Church. These were the five sites for the primary. The motion to approve Mt. Zion as well as its times was unanimous.
The times are:
Seymour, Rams, and Mt. Zion will be open Noon to 7pm, Monday through Friday.
Carrboro Town Hall and OC BOE office will be open 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.
All five sites will be open Saturday 9am to 3pm. However, Rams will not be open during the NC State game on October 27.
Non-unanimous decisions are subject to approval by the State Board of Elections.
Issues:
Comments
excellent news
This is more hours and days than in 2008 -- when the satellite sites did not open until Monday and only the BoE office was open the first Thursday-Saturday. So Orange will have four sites with 15 days and one with 14 days, and evening hours at three of the sites ! Plus the final day will be 9-3 instead of 9-1 as in 2008. Great job getting this approved.
campus
I appreciate that you once again put an early voting site on campus. It got high turnout for the primary/Amendment One election, and I expect it will drive high turnout from the campus student population (as well as campus student employees) for the November elections.
There were three things we
There were three things we (OCDP) were really pushing for: (1) student accessibility, (2) five sites, (3) expanded hours and I'm glad that we were able to meet all three. I personally worked for the last week on making sure that the fifth site was approved and think that we can meet or exceed the 2,221 voters that voted in Cedar Grove in 2008. Every community, particularly students and northern Orange, cannot be neglected. The student community ensured and made the case for continuance of Rams by turning out in the primary. So kudos to them! Proud of the work we've accomplished.
Rams Head open on the 20th - closed on the 27th
One correction to Matt's post - the Rams Head site will be closed on SATURDAY OCTOBER 27 for the State game NOT the 20th. The site WILL be open October 20.As Matt noted, many of the Board's decisions were not unanimous, but were 2-1 party line votes. That means that the county's decision automatically goes to the state board of election, which will make the final decision. The hours he lists are the likely, but not final, early voting hours, and once they are final the Board will officially announce them.That said, I am pleased that we will have early voting across the county from 9-7 and until three every Saturday. Over the past three elections, the availability of early voting has slowly increased, and we look forward to a successful year. Also, early voting officials are employees of the county, not volunteers. People who can commit to work for the entire early voting period (from October 18 through November 3) can express their interest to the board at www.co.orange.nc.us/elect/Jim WhiteChair, OC Board of Elections
Thanks, Jim for the
Thanks, Jim for the correction. Apparently, I pulled up last year's football schedule. I've corrected it in my post.I'd like to thank the Board for their hard work and determination in keeping Early Vote a priority.
forget last year
we lost to the Pack 13-0 in 2011 so please do not mention last year's football schedule again!
I won't if you won't!
I won't if you won't!
Bam
All this is important is we
All this is important is we know who he'll root for in basketball!
Early Voting hours now official
The early voting hours/dates for the general election are official as they were unanomously approved by the State Board of Elections Tuesday and are now posted on the OCBoE website:http://www.co.orange.nc.us/elect/documents/onestopsites11062012b.pdf
November 6, 2012 General
Election
One-Stop Early Voting Sites,
Dates and Times
There are 5 sites. Please
note dates and hours of each site.
Sites:
Board of Elections Office , 208
S. Cameron St, Hillsborough
AND
Carrboro Town Hall 301 W. Main St, Carrboro
Hours for above two sites:
Thursday & Friday,
10/18 & 10/19 - 9am – 5pm
Mondays – Fridays, 10/22-
11/02 - 9am– 5pm
Saturdays, 10/20, 10/27
& 11/03 – 9am – 3pm
Sites:
*Ram’s Head Dining Hall
, 2nd floor above Ram’s Head Parking Deck 33 Ridge
Rd - UNC Campus, Chapel Hill
AND
Seymour Senior Center 2551 Homestead Rd, Chapel Hill
AND
Mt. Zion AME Church
Fellowship Bldg. 5124 NC Hwy 86 N,
Hillsborough (Cedar Grove area)
Hours for above three sites:
Thursday & Friday,
10/18 & 10/19 - Noon – 7pm
Mondays - Fridays, 10/22 –
11/02 - Noon – 7pm
Saturdays - 10/20, 10/27*
& 11/03 – 9am – 3pm
*PLEASE NOTE: Early Voting
will not be offered at Ram’s Head on Saturday 10/27 due to UNC/NC State
football game.