Municipal early voting opens

Published 5:37 pm Friday, October 15, 2021

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In-person early voting for the Nov. 2 municipal elections got underway on Thursday, Oct. 14 and ends Saturday, Oct. 30.

This election is for mayors and town council members as well as selected boards of directors for municipal utilities.

Due to the traditionally small turnout of voters during municipal elections here in the Roanoke-Chowan area, not all local boards of election are permitting voters to cast early ballots.

In Bertie County, early voting is only available for Windsor Mayor and Windsor Town Commissioner. Early voting for those seats will be from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, Oct. 18-22; the same hours on Monday through Friday, Oct. 25-29; and 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30. Those ballots can be cast at the Bertie Board of Elections office located at 210 West Watson Street in Windsor.

Registered voters in Windsor who choose not to cast a ballot during the early voting period can do so at their regular polling place on Tuesday, Nov. 2. That’s the same day that registered voters living in the towns of Askewville, Aulander, Colerain, Kelford, Lewiston Woodville, Powellsville, and Roxobel can cast ballots for their respective municipal leaders.

NOTE: Roxobel voters will cast ballots for this municipal election at the Roxobel Town Hall, located at 204 South Main Street.

With the exception of Ahoskie, registered voters living within the corporate limits of Cofield, Como, Harrellsville, Murfreesboro, and Winton can cast ballots early for seats on those town councils.

Early voting for those races will be held at the Hertford County Board of Elections office, located at 418 Everett Street, Suite A, Ahoskie, from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, Oct. 18-22; the same hours on Monday through Friday, Oct. 25-29; and 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Registered voters in those towns who choose not to cast a ballot during the early voting period can do so at their regular polling place on Tuesday, Nov. 2.

The municipal election in Ahoskie is delayed until March of next year to give town officials the time needed to redraw the boundary lines between Ward A and Ward B due to a shift in the population based on the results of the 2020 Census.

In Northampton County, only the registered voters who reside within the jurisdiction of the Roanoke Rapids Sanitary Sewer District can participate in the early voting process for the November election. Those individuals can cast ballots at the Northampton County Board of Elections Office, located in the J.W. Faison Administrative Building, 9495 NC 305 North, Jackson. Early voting hours there are 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, Oct. 18-22; 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, Oct. 25-29; and 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 30.

Registered voters living in the corporate limits of Conway, Garysburg, Gaston, Lasker, Jackson, Rich Square, Seaboard, Severn, and Woodland can cast ballots for their respective municipal seats on Tuesday, Nov. 2 at their normal polling places. The lone exception is that Woodland voters will cast ballots at Jerusalem Baptist Church, located at 205 Myrtle Street.

During the early voting period, any registered voter may vote at any early voting site in their municipality before Election Day. Individuals may also register and vote at the same time using same-day registration.

To take advantage of same-day registration, voters must attest to their eligibility by signing a voter registration application and providing proof of residence.

During the early voting period, registered voters may update their name or address, but may not change their party affiliation.

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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