As of Tuesday, 4,000 People Vote Early in Watauga, 86 Percent at App State, Boone

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More than 200 people have voted early in Blowing Rock since one-stop voting began last week. Photo by Ken Ketchie

By Jesse Wood

As of Tuesday, 4,000 people voted at the one-stop sites across Watauga County.

With six one-stop sites spread out across the county, voters have the opportunity to early vote in communities such as Blowing Rock, Deep Gap, Meat Camp, Sugar Grove and Boone, and the vast majority of those voters are marking their ballots in Boone and on the campus of Appalachian State University.

The Republican majority on the Watauga County Board of Elections tried unsuccessfully to hold elections without the one-stop site on the college campus because of the proximity of early voting sites in downtown Boone and on the campus. But the State Board of Elections denied that proposal. 

Of the 4,000 people who have voted, 86 percent voted at the Watauga County Administration Building in downtown Boone and inside the Plemmons Student Union on ASU.

Below is the breakdown of early voters per one-stop site as of closing on Tuesday:

  • Administration:  1,213
  • ASU:  2,218
  • Blowing Rock:  217
  • Deep Gap:  122
  • Meat Camp:  99
  • Western Watauga:  131

Early voting ends on Saturday.

Below is information published in a previous story that includes Voter ID details, one-stop locations and hours, sample ballots and much more for Watauga and Avery counties.

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Early voting for the March 15 primary began last Thursday at several locations around Watauga County and at the Avery County Board of Elections office in Avery County.

Although the voter registration deadline prior to early voting has passed, same-day registration is available at any of the one-stop voting locations.

“Voters should be ready to show their acceptable photo ID’s,” Watauga County Board of Elections Director Matt Snyder said.

A list of acceptable ID’s and other voter information is available at the state sponsored, http://voterid.nc.gov. 2016 marks the first year of North Carolina’s controversial Voter ID law.

Another thing to note, especially in a county like Watauga, where unaffiliated voters outrank Republicans and Democrats on a one-on-one basis, is that if you are an unaffiliated voter, you must request a specific ballot or else precinct workers will automatically give you a non-partisan ballot, according to Snyder.

The non-partisan ballot only features the Connect NC Bond, while the partisan ballots feature races from within the Republican, Democrat or Libertarian ballots.

For more information, contact the Watauga County Board of Elections office at 828-265-8061 or the Avery County Board of Elections office at 828-733-8282.

To figure out your Election Day polling place, click here.

Early Voting Sites, Hours

 AVERY COUNTY

 Avery County Board of Elections Office in Courthouse, 200 Montezuma St. #307, Newland

  • March 3- 4 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • March 5 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • March 7-9 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • March 10 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • March 11 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Early Voting Sites, Hours

WATAUGA COUNTY

Watauga County Administration Building, 814 West King St. Boone

  • March 3-4 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • March 7- 11 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

ASU Plemmons Student Union, Blue Ridge Ballroom, 263 Locust Street, Boone

  • March 3-4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 8-11 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Blowing Rock Town Hall, 1036 Main Street, Blowing Rock

  • March 3-4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 8-11 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Deep Gap Fire Department, 6583 Old U.S. 421 South, Deep Gap

  • March 3-4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 8-11 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Meat Camp Fire Department – 4797 N.C. 194 North, Boone

  • March 3-4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 8-11 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Western Watauga Community Center – 1081 Old U.S. 421, Sugar Grove

  • March 3-4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 8-11 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
  • March 12 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

See sample ballots for Avery and Watauga counties below:

Avery County Ballots

Note that young adults that are not yet 18 years old but will be by the November election won’t be allowed to vote on the bond referendum. So 17-year-old voters will see similar ballots minus the bond referendum selection. 

Republican Primary Ballot

R001 add

 

D003

Democratic Primary Ballot

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D003

Libertarian Primary

 

L005

Nonpartisan

N007

Watauga County Ballots

Republican Ballot

add WATAUGA-20160315-Style001-REP

D003

Democratic Ballot

WATAUGA-20160315-Style003-DEM

Libertarian Ballot

WATAUGA-20160315-Style005-LIB

Nonpartisan Ballot

WATAUGA-20160315-Style007-NON