Early voting for the Nov. 8 General Election begins today (Thursday) throughout the Roanoke-Chowan region.

Local Boards of Election were left scrambling in August to meet and develop Early Voting plans in advance of the Nov. 8 General Election.

That came on the heels of what initially was expected to be a 10-day period of early voting, as per the Voter ID law passed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2013, but was not put into effect until the 2016 March Primary.

However, since March, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled the majority of that law was unconstitutional. That decision led to the return of an extended Early Voting period that will begin Oct. 20 and end on the last Saturday (Nov. 5) prior to the General Election.

The Circuit Court’s decision will also allow for same-day registration available at early voting sites.

A directive from the North Carolina BOE sent to Board of Elections offices in all 100 counties directed those boards to meet and develop an Early Voting (One-Stop) plan.

That plan can allow for more than one Early Voting location within a county. However, all counties are required to have at least one site open during the duration of the Early Voting period. 

Early voting will be conducted at following locations and times:

Hertford County will have three sites – the Hertford County Cooperative Extension Office in Winton from 8:30 am – 5 pm on Oct. 20-21, on Oct. 24-28, and on Oct. 31 – Nov. 4; and from 8:30 am – 1 pm on two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5); and

The Murfree Center (Murfreesboro) and RL Vann School (Ahoskie) – 12 noon – 6 pm on Oct. 20-21, on Oct. 24-28, and on Oct. 31 – Nov. 4; and 8:30 am – 1 pm on two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5).

One-stop early voting will be held at two locations in Bertie County – the Windsor Board of Elections Office and the Powellsville Town Hall.

The Bertie Board of Elections office will be open for one-stop voting on Oct. 20-21 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; on Oct. 24-28 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; on Oct.31-Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and on Saturday, Nov 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (the only Sat. for voting).

The Powellsville Town Hall will be open for voting on Oct. 20-21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Oct. 24-28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Oct.31-Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday, Nov. 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (the only Sat. for voting).

The Northampton Board has decided to open four voting sites – the Board of Elections Office in Jackson, the Roanoke Center in Rich Square, Gaston Elementary School (only on Saturdays), and at Lake Gaston Community Center.

The Northampton BOE office will be open from 8 a.m.-5p.m. on Oct. 20-22, Oct. 24-29 and Oct. 31-Nov. 4. It will also be open Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Lake Gaston Community Center will be open on Oct. 27-29 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 31-Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The Roanoke Center in Rich Square will be open for one-stop voting on Oct. 27-29 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 31-Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Gaston Elementary will be open for early voting on Oct. 22 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Oct. 29 from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. and Nov. 5 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

The Gates County Board of Elections agreed to open two, One-Stop voting locations

One site is at the Board of Elections office in Gatesville that will be open from 9 am – 8 pm on Oct. 20, Oct. 27, and Nov. 3; from 9 am – 6 pm on Oct. 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31 and Nov. 1, 2 and 4; and from 9 am – 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The other Gates County site will be at St. John AME Church in Sunbury. That location will be open from 12 noon – 8 pm on Oct. 20, 27, and Nov. 3; 12 noon – 6 pm on Oct. 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31 and Nov. 1, 2, and 4; and from 9 am – 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 5.

As per the decision reached by the Circuit Court, voters at Early Voting locations and those casting ballots on Nov. 8 will not be asked to show photo identification this election.

Additionally, if voters do not appear at their assigned precinct within their county, their vote will still count for all eligible contests.  However, to avoid voting a provisional ballot, voters are encouraged to appear at their properly-assigned precinct on Election Day.