One-stop early voting opened in North Carolina on Thursday, Oct. 20 and will remain an option for voters through Saturday, Nov. 5.
If the early polling numbers are any indication, one-stop early voting continues to be the way of the future. On the first day of early voting more than 135,000 ballots were cast statewide.
In Macon County, approximately 1,900 voters had cast their ballots in early voting as of Tuesday.
It’s easy to see why early voting has become so popular in the last decade. In a word – Convenience.
In generations past, voters had to wait until Election Day to make their way to the polls. They had to report to their designated precinct, potentially wait in line, and fill out their paper ballot to be counted later at the local Board of Elections Office.
During the 2020 election cycle, which featured a Presidential race, only 16 percent of voters cast their ballot on Election Day. That number is down from roughly 39 percent in 2008.
Thanks to one-stop early voting, Macon County voters can simply show up to either of the two sites, Macon County Community Building in Franklin, or Highlands Rec Center, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday to cast their ballots. Each site also has Saturday hours leading up to Election Day.
In this edition of The Highlander, you will find sample ballots for Macon County. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the ballot and research information about the candidates prior to entering the voting booth. The current midterm election may not boast the star power of a Presidential election, but that doesn’t make the races on the ballot any less impactful to our daily lives.
The right to vote is something that no one should take for granted. We are fortunate to live in a country where our government is selected by the citizenry and every two years we have an opportunity to keep effective leaders and replace ineffective ones.
Do your civic duty, be informed, and participate in the 2022 midterm election either on Election Day or via the one-stop early voting locations.