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State BOE To Decide on Early-Voting Sites in Watauga County for General Election on Thursday in Raleigh

The State Board of Elections hears Democrat Kathleen Campbell discuss her plan in March. Photo by Lonnie Webster
The State Board of Elections hears Democrat Kathleen Campbell discuss her plan in March. Photo by Lonnie Webster

By Jesse Wood

Aug. 21, 2014. Members of the Watauga County Board of Election and Elections Director Jane Ann Hodges will appear before the State Board of Elections on Thursday, Aug. 21, in Raleigh at 1 p.m. to discuss early voting locations and hours for the general election in November. See agenda below.

Local board members Kathleen Campbell, a Democrat, and Bill Aceto, a Republican will attend the meeting to advocate for their respective one-stop plans. Board Chair Luke Eggers said he won’t be present because he will be in Ashe County teaching middle school children.

In July, Eggers and Aceto voted for the majority plan, which included these early voting polling sites:

  • Watauga County Administration Building in downtown Boone
  • Western Watauga Community Center in Sugar Grove
  • Blowing Rock Town Hall
  • Deep Gap Fire Department
  • Meat Camp Fire Department

Campbell didn’t vote for the majority plan because it didn’t include an early voting site on the campus of Appalachian State University. Her plan included these early voting sites:

  • Watauga County Administration Building
  • Plemmons Student Union on ASU
  • Foscoe Fire Department
  • Blowing Rock Town Hall
  • Meat Camp Fire Department

Because there was no unanimous vote on the selection of early voting sites, the State Board of Elections must approve of a plan.

Speaking before the State Board of Elections isn’t new to the local elections board. In March 2014, the State Board of Elections approved the majority plan for early voting sites for the May Primary. That plan didn’t include any early voting on the college campus either, and in September 2013, the state board upheld the majority plan, which also didn’t include early voting at ASU, for the general election in the fall of 2013.

The Republican-led State Board of Elections features all of the same board members that were on the board previously.

Before the meeting in July, the Watauga County Voting Rights Task Force, an arm of the Watauga County Democratic Party, noted that it has retained the services of Bailey & Dixon law firm in Raleigh to “represent our constitutional rights in the siting of Watauga’s polling locations for the 2014 general elections,” according to a letter penned by Pam Williamson.

STATE BOARD