The Watauga County Board of Elections voted 4-1 Thursday in favor of changing the hours of early voting in Watauga County.
The new hours will be as follows:
- Oct. 17-19: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Oct. 20: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Oct. 21-26: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Oct. 27: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.
- Oct. 28 through Nov. 1: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Nov. 2: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The vote came after the North Carolina State Board of Elections passed a resolution Monday allowing counties to make changes to voting procedures in response to hurricane Helene.
Before the vote, board members heard public comments on the change to hours in the county.
Attendees in support of the resolution expressed their concerns about poll workers traveling on roads throughout the county while it is dark to staff various precincts.
Other attendees said they were concerned about changing the hours and limiting the chances for people to vote before 9 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
“Students like me who have voted in the evening in every election in Boone will be confused and frustrated when they find their polling place closed,” said App State College Democrats President Jack Yordy. “It was a difficult decision for the board to make but they made the wrong one in my view.”
There are five early voting sites open in Watauga County. These five sites will be operational during the new early voting hours adopted in Watauga County. These sites include:
- The Watauga County Administration Building at 814 W. King Street.
- Blowing Rock American Legion Building at 333 Wallingford Street, Blowing Rock.
- Deep Gap Fire Department at 6583 Old 421 S, Deep Gap.
- Plemmons Student Union at 263 Locust Street.
- Western Watauga Community Center at 1081 Old US Highway 421, Sugar Grove.
For more information, the Watauga County Board of Elections website updates regularly with the most up to date information on polling places, hours of operation and voting procedures.
