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2016 Primary Election Coverage: Candidate Info, Sample Ballots & Voting Details Inside

 

ELECTIONS GRAPHIC

By Jesse Wood

After a week of early voting, more than 5,500 people have voted early in the primary election so far, according to figures provided by the Watauga County Board of Elections.

Of the total amount of votes cast, about 83 percent of the voters marked their ballots at the Watauga County Administration Building in downtown Boone or on the polling site inside the Plemmons Student Union on the campus of Appalachian State University, which is currently on spring break.

See the early voting totals below, per early voting site:

Watauga County Administration Building= 1,791

  • ASU= 2,760
  • Blowing Rock= 334
  • Deep Gap= 214
  • Meat Camp= 177
  • Sugar Grove= 225

Total = 5,501

This compares to Avery County, which as seen 842 early voters and has a considerably smaller electorate, according to Avery County Board of Elections Director Sheila Ollis

Early voting ends on Saturday at 1 p.m.

See more coverage of the 2016 primary here.

See more details, such as sample ballots, voting locations and hours and more below:

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. Student ID’s are not an acceptable form of identification.

The last day to request an absentee ballot for the 2016 primary is Tuesday, March 8.

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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

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Democratic Primary Ballot

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Watauga County Ballots

Republican Ballot

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Democratic Ballot

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See language for Connect NC Bond referendum, which will be on all ballots for those 18 years and older as of March 15.
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