Robeson County residents have four days to cast their ballots during the early voting period that ends Saturday. So far, more than 200 people have flocked to the polls to make their votes count.
Shown are guidelines and rules surrounding curbside voting posted at the Pine Street Center, where early voting is taking place. Voters have until Saturday to cast their ballots in the one-stop early voting period.
LUMBERTON — There are four days left for Robeson County residents to cast ballots in the early voting period.
Early voting is being held behind the Robeson County Board of Elections Office at the Pine Street Center. Early voting ballots can be cast from 8:15 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. through Thursday. Polls will be open Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A total of 280 voters had cast their ballots, with about 17 votes cast Tuesday just before 3:30 p.m., according to a Robeson County Board of Elections official.
“This week it’s really slow,” said DeeDee Thomas, a member of a campaign team for Red Springs candidates including Mayor Edward Henderson, Ronnie Patterson and incumbent commissioners Neal Lea’Kes, Murray McKeithan.
Thomas has worked on campaign teams for about 10 years. Last week showed more voter activity than this week, she said.
“They mostly come around lunch time,” said Penny Locklear, who is assisting with curbside voting at the site.
“Lunch time or when they get off of work,” she added.
Most people have voted curbside because of health reasons and convenience, Locklear said.
“They really like it. It’s convenient for them,” she said. “They want to get in and they want to get out.”
Locklear said masks and sanitizer also are available at the voting site.
Early voting has been a “smooth” process so far, she said.
“I haven’t seen any problems,” Locklear added.
During the early voting period, individuals can register and vote at the same time using same-day registration, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections. To take advantage of same-day registration, voters must attest to their eligibility by signing a voter registration application and providing proof of residence.
To register in the state, voters must be U.S. citizens, residents in the county they are voting in for at least 30 days before the election, and at least 18 years old or turning 18 by the date of the general election, according to NCSBE. People who are serving a sentence “for a felony conviction, including probation, parole, or post-release supervision” may not register. For more information about registration and exceptions, visit www.ncsbe.gov.
During the early voting period, registered voters may update their name or address, but may not change their party affiliation.
Voters may also vote on Election Day, Nov. 2, at their assigned precinct or cast an absentee-by-mail ballot, if their municipality offers absentee-by-mail voting. The deadline to request a ballot was Tuesday.
Municipal elections in St. Pauls and Lumberton have been delayed until 2022 because of state legislation and a lull in receiving federal census information needed to redraw district lines ahead of the 2021 election.
Thirty-nine candidates are on the ballot for municipal elections.
Four municipalities have crowded ballots with a number of candidates vying for commissioner and mayor seats.
For a full list of candidates and their platforms, visit https://www.robesonian.com/news/150989/39-candidates-embark-on-municipal-election-bid. For more questions about Election Day or the early voting period, call the Robeson County Board of Elections at 910-671-3080.
