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Four File In Avery County Municipal Elections

By Tim Gardner

Filing began on Friday, July 5 for statewide municipal (city and town) elections. Four have filed as of this morning (July 10) for offices in Avery County.

Seats are open for some Mayor and Town Council seats in the following townships: Newland, Banner Elk, Crossnore, Elk Park, Village of Sugar Mountain, Village of Grandfather, Beech Mountain and Seven Devils.

Candidates who have filed include incumbents Jesse Smith, Crossnore Town Council and Bob Donovan, Village of Grandfather Mayor. Incumbent Village of Sugar Mountain Town Council member Gunter Jochl has filed for the Village’s Mayor’s post. Additionally, Elaine McKinney Crane has filed for Elk Park Town Council.

Filing ends on Friday, July 19, at 12:00 Noon and must be done in person at the Board of Election Office. Filing for any municipal office costs $5.00.

On Monday, October 7, Absentee Voting by Mail Begins for General Election and Friday, October 11 at 5:00 p.m. is the voting registration deadline. One stop early voting begins October 16 and ends November 2.  

General Election Day is November 5, 2019, and voting may be done then from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

According to Avery Election officials, early voting may be done at the Avery County Board of Elections office, located in the Avery County Court House at 200 Montezuma Street, #307, in Newland.

The early voting days and hours of operation are:

Wednesday, October 16- Friday, October 18   8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Monday, October 21 – Friday,October 25       8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Monday, October 28- Friday,November 1        8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 2 (Only Saturday)  8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Voting on General Election Day can be done at polling sites only.

Voter registration may be done at the Board of Elections Office or at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles Office in the Newland Town Hall (301 Cranberry Street) when conducting official DMV business, or at a state agency when applying for benefits.

Anyone eligible to vote in Avery County elections must:

*Be a citizen of the United States

*Be a resident of North Carolina and Avery County for at least 30 days prior to an election

*Be at least 18 years of age by the next General Election

*Not be registered to vote in another county or state

*If convicted of a felony, have had your citizenship rights restored

*If moved to another county in North Carolina, that individual will need to register to vote in that county.

The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina and in Avery County is 25 days before the date of an election. Forms must be received in the Elections Office or postmarked by the deadline. Each voter will be sent a voter card showing his/her assigned precinct.

Avery County has the following nineteen voting precincts:

Altamont; Banner Elk; Beech Mountain; Cary’s Flat; Cranberry; Elk Park; Frank; Heaton; Hughes; Ingalls; Linville; Minneapolis; Montezuma; Newland 1; Newland 2; Pineola; Plumtree; Pyatte; and Roaring Creek.

Information about One Stop Absentee voting or other election information may can be obtained at the Elections Office or by calling (828) 733-8282.