The New Hanover County Board of Elections will offer extended weekday and weekend hours at early voting sites during the 2014 general election.
The board discussed two scenarios that would offer more flexible hours at one-stop voting locations during a July 15 meeting.
Deborah Dicks Maxwell, president of the New Hanover County NAACP, was one of six people who spoke during the meeting to request early voting options that better accommodate work schedules. Maxwell works in Brunswick County from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. She said she had to take time off to get to New Hanover County to vote during the primary election.
“I sincerely hope that you will look back at your schedule, see what Brunswick and others have done to make this more accessible to citizens who work, who have arduous work schedules or family schedules,” Maxwell said.
One-stop voting for the 2014 primary election took place April 24 to May 3. The Board of Elections office was open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Four additional locations were open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. All five sites were open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The four additional sites include the New Hanover County Main and Northeast Regional libraries, Carolina Beach Town Hall and the New Hanover County Senior Resources Center.
One-stop voting for the 2014 general election will be available at the same five sites Thursday, Oct. 23 to Saturday, Nov. 1. Both scenarios considered by the board would offer later weekday hours and two Saturdays to make early voting more convenient.
Under the first scenario, the Board of Elections office would be open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the first Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the last Saturday. Additional locations would be open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and the first Saturday and 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the last Saturday.
State law requires early voting locations to close by 1 p.m. on the last day. It also requires consistent hours at one-stop sites offered in addition to the Board of Elections office, which restricted options for later hours at additional sites.
Under the second scenario, the Board of Elections office would be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and the first Saturday. Additional locations would not be open on the first Thursday, Friday or Saturday but would be open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. the following Monday through Friday. All locations would be open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday.
After the June 15 meeting, Maxwell said either scenario would be better than the schedule offered during the primary election.
“It’s an improvement,” Maxwell said. “There are thousands of people in this area in the same boat I’m in. That’s why Brunswick and Pender adjusted their schedules, to make hours compatible for people who don’t work in the county. New Hanover needs to step up and do the same thing, and I’m glad to hear that they’re trying now,” Maxwell said.
The board unanimously approved the second scenario during a July 16 meeting.
Board member Tannis Nelson, who said July 15 she preferred the first scenario, voted in favor of the second scenario.
“I hate giving up days of early voting. … My desire would be to have the full days of voting at all sites but I do understand,” Nelson said.
email [email protected]
