More than one third of Columbus County’s registered voters had cast a ballot as of close of business Monday.
The board of elections said 12,658 ballots had been filed out of more than 37,500 registered voters in Columbus. Statewide, more than three million out of 7.7 million voters have opted for an early trip to the polls.
Party turnout data is not available at the local level, but Republicans and unaffiliated voters, typically vote on Election Day, are currently leading Democrats and other parties in early turnout.
Early polls are located at the Board of Elections office off U.S. 701 in North Whiteville; Ransom Center, N.C. 11 Highway, Riegelwood; Chadbourn Municipal Annex; Tabor City Courthouse; and Fair Bluff Fire and Rescue.
The main Board of Elections office in Columbus remains the busiest poll, with 1,371 voters on Monday and 6,050 so far for the early voting period. Chadbourn saw 191 Monday, and 1,802 so far; Fair Bluff, 81 and 734; Ransom, 205 and 1,860; and Tabor City, 240 and 2,212.
Early voting continues through Saturday. Polls are open 8:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. through Friday, and 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Any registered voter may cast a ballot at any polling place during early voting
Election Day is Tuesday. Voters will be required to go to their home precincts. Polls will be open Tuesday from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
Voter ID is also required this year. Anyone without a recognized form of identification may get a free Voter ID card at the board of elections through Saturday. Voters who refuse to get an approved ID can fill out an exception form and cast a provisional ballot, which will be counted on Canvass Day.
For more information, and to check your voter registration, go to www.NCSBE.gov or www.columbusco.org/board-elections.
On Election Day, Nov. 5, polls will be open at:
Bogue – Hallsboro Fire Department, 753 Hallsboro Rd. S.
Bolton- Bolton Fire Department, 225 9Th St.
Bug Hill- Guideway Elementary Cafeteria, 11570 Swamp Fox Hwy. E.
Cerro Gordo- Cerro Gordo Town Hall, 84 Cherry St.
Chadbourn- Chadbourn Municipal Annex 208 E. 1st Ave.
Cherry Bluff- Fair Bluff Fire & Rescue Dept., 152 Main St.
Lees Southeast- Old Dock Community Building, 12820 New Britton Hwy. E., Nakina
Nakina- Nakina Fire & Rescue, 514 Ramsey Ford Rd.
North Lees- Pleasant Plains Church, 61 Pleasant Plains Church Rd., Whiteville
NW Whiteville- North Whiteville Fire Dept., 7474 Peacock Rd.
Ransom- Ransom Event Center, 2696 Gen. Howe Hwy. ( N.C. 11), Riegelwood
South Whiteville- Abundant Life Church, 5384 James B. White Hwy S.
South Williams- Tabor City Courthouse, 110 W 4th St., Tabor City
Tatum- WOW Lodge 1088, 6847 Hayes Lennon Hwy, Evergreen
Waccamaw- Lake Waccamaw Fire Dept., 203 Flemington Dr., Lake Waccamaw
Welches Creek- Welches Creek Fire Dept., 45 Millie-Christine Rd., Whiteville.
West Whiteville- American Legion Post 137, 76 Legion Dr., Whiteville
Whiteville 1- Whiteville Rescue Unit Building, 106 Flowers Pridgen Dr.
Whiteville 2- Vineland Station Depot, 701 E Main St.
Williams 1- Beaverdam OFW Baptist Church, 2665 Beaverdam Rd., Chadbourn
Williams 2- Lebanon United Methodist Church, 9327 James B. White Hwy. S., Whiteville
