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Election Day Excitement Begins, Polls Close at 7:30 p.m.

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Republicans Laura Schroeder and Madison Chadwick and Democrats Chris Behrend and Mayor Andy Ball advocate for their respective parties at the Boone Town Council Chambers on the morning of Election Day.

By Jesse Wood

Nov. 4, 2014. It’s Election Day across the state of North Carolina.

Watauga County Elections Director Jane Ann Hodges said that more than 1,100 people have voted on Election Day as of 10 a.m.

Legends is one of the polling precincts.
Legends is one of the polling precincts on Election Day. Photo by Ken Ketchie

This morning, Ignite NC, a liberal group advocating for early voting on college campuses, reported in a release that an ASU employee was removed from the Legends precinct on Election Day morning after “harassing students about ID requirements.”

But Hodges said that “no one has been removed at all” and the employee in question was a parking attendant that was just showing people where to vote.

Before Election Day 7,865 people voted early. Here is the breakdown from early voting:

  • Watauga County Administration Building: 3,589
  • Plemmons Student Union at ASU: 2,550
  • Blowing Rock Town Hall: 536
  • Deep Gap VFD: 390
  • Meat Camp VFD: 323
  • Western Watauga Community Center: 477

N.C. Vote Tracker, which is a project of the conservative Civitas Institute, has tracked the political affiliation of those who voted early, mailed in ballots or filled out overseas ballots.

Of the 8,238 people who voted before Election Day, 3,153 are Democrats, 2581 are Republicans and 2,454 are unaffiliated. Fifty were Libertarian.

If you haven’t voted yet, here is what you need to know in order to vote in Watauga County and Avery County. First, you must of registered by Oct. 10 in order to be eligible to vote in the general election

Polls close at 7:30 p.m.

Check out the listing of precincts below to decide where you vote on Tuesday. If you aren’t sure of your precinct, click here to the State Board of Elections’ website and type in your name. The application on the SBOE website will list your precinct number and voting location, which includes a Google Maps link.

Check out sample ballots and look up candidate info if you need more information about candidates. See blank sample ballots for Watauga County here and Avery County here.

If you want to vote with your respective parties, click here for filled-in, printable ballots from the Watauga County Republican Party or Watauga County Democratic Party. With the majority of Avery County voters being Republican, activity during the general election for local elections has been minimal because most of the local races were decided during the May Primary.

For more information about the 2014 election, click here for candidate info, stories, videos, pictures and more information about voting on Tuesday. Also check out the North Carolina Voter Guide website for candidate statements and bio.

And following the closure of the polls, voting totals should begin rolling in by 8 p.m. and end results are expected – based on elections in the past – by about 8:30 to 9 p.m. Click to HCPress.com for up-to-date results.

For more information about voting in Watauga County, click to the Watauga County Board of Elections website or call 828-265-8061.

For more information about voting in Avery County, click to the Avery County Board of Elections website or call 828-733-8282

Early Voting

AVERY COUNTY PRECINCTS

There are 19 precincts in Avery County. To find your precinct, click here.

(01) Altamont
(02) Banner Elk
(03) Beech Mountain
(04) Cary’s Flat
(05) Cranberry
(06) Elk Park
(07) Frank
(08) Heaton
(09) Hughes
(10) Ingalls
(11) Linville
(12) Minneapolis
(13) Montezuma
(14) Newland 1
(15) Newland 2
(16) Pineola
(17) Plumtree
(18) Pyatte
(19) Roaring Creek

Precincts

 

 

 

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A student prepares to vote at Legends on the campus of Appalachian State University on the morning of Election Day. Photos by Jesse Wood
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The polling place at Cove Creek Fire Department on Election Day morning was buzzing with a line of voters.
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Campaign signs for the 2014 general election in front of Boone Town Council Chambers.
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The Watauga County Administrative Building polling site was not exactly buzzing with activity on Tuesday morning.
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Poll workers wait for voters at the Boone Town Council Chambers on Election Day morning.