Early vote totals Thursday showed 1,232 Columbus County voters have visited the one stop polls since Feb. 12.
Early voting ends Feb. 27 here. The State Board of Elections voted to eliminate Sunday voting in Columbus County after the local board could not make a unanimous decision on Sunday polls, under a new law passed last year.
Polls will be open 8 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday (Feb. 21 and 27) from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
During the primaries, voters may only use ballots for their registered party. Unaffiliated voters must ask for a Democrat or Republican ballot. Several races will essentially be decided in the primary.
Most local races will be determined in the primaries, with Republicans dominating the ticket this season. Primaries give registered voters a chance to choose their nominee for the general election in November, unless a party does not produce a candidate in the primary.
Columbus County has 14,062 registered Democrats, 10,881 registered Republicans, and 11,501 registered Unaffiliated voters who can cast a ballot in the March 3 election. A total of 124 voters are registered Green, Libertarian or No Labels, none of which have candidates in the primaries.
Early polls are located at the Tabor City Courthouse, Chadbourn Municipal Annex, Ransom Center, Fair Bluff Fire Department, and county Board of Elections office. Free voter ID cards are available only at the Board of Elections through Feb. 27.
Candidates and campaign workers are being urged not to break the law when erecting the ubiquitous signs that continue to pop up at seemingly every corner in the county.
The Dept. of Transportation said in a news release that according to state law, signs may be installed 30 days before early voting and must be removed within 10 days of Election Day’s conclusion.
Signs must also be placed at least three feet from the edge of pavement, stand no taller than 42 inches, and cannot block drivers’ views at intersections. Anyone putting up a sign must have permission from the adjacent property owner.
Any sign that violates these requirements or creates a safety concern may be removed by DOT.
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