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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

Early Voters in NHC Comparable to 2013; Annexations Could Cause Confusion

Polls are open on Election Day from 6:30 AM until 7:30 PM.  Because it’s an odd year and only municipal races are on the ballot, elections officials expect turnout to be lower than in years that include state and federal elections. 

Early voter turnout for this year’s municipal elections in New Hanover County lands at about 1.6% of eligible voters.  That may sound miniscule, but New Hanover County Elections Director Derek Bowens says it’s right on target -- compared with numbers from 2013.  That year, about 1,000 people or 1.1% of eligible voters cast their ballots early. 

He predicts that between 15 - 17% of eligible voters will come to the polls this Election Day. 

"The mayoral race in the City of Wilmington is not contested.  And even in Wrightsville Beach, no one’s contesting any of the incumbents there.  So that could affect, of course, turnout."

Brunswick County reports early voter turnout this year of about 2.3%.

Voter IDs are not a requirement this year, but precinct officials will ask you if you have one.  If you say that you do not, you will be given literature explaining how to get one before the next elections in 2016 – when a government-issued ID will be a requirement. 

Bowens is also eager to remind people that county-only residents are not eligible to vote.  This is especially important for three precincts in New Hanover County:  Ogden Elementary, the Lutheran Church of the Reconciliation, and Eaton Elementary. 

"Those precincts are open but only municipal residents are eligible to vote in those precincts.  We had to open those based on municipal annexation.  It’s only a small number of voters there are actually eligible for the municipal elections and we’ll have signage indicating that at those polling places."

Voters who have recently moved should either call their County Board of Elections or visit the website before heading out to the polls to ensure they're eligible and that they wind up at the correct precinct. 

Brunswick County Board of Elections:

http://www.brunswickcountync.gov/elections/

https://vt.ncsbe.gov/Voter_Search_Public/

Call:  (910) 253-2620

New Hanover County Board of Elections:

http://elections.nhcgov.com/

Phone: 910-798-7330

Pender County Board of Elections:

http://www.pendercountync.gov/Government/Departments/BoardofElections.aspx

Phone: 910-259-1220

Rachel hosts and produces CoastLine, an award-winning hourlong conversation featuring artists, humanitarians, scholars, and innovators in North Carolina. The show airs Wednesdays at noon and Sundays at 4 pm on 91.3 FM WHQR Public Media. It's also available as a podcast; just search CoastLine WHQR. You can reach her at rachellh@whqr.org.