WINDSOR – Come what may, elections roll on.

Despite being flooded out of its building and losing much of its equipment, the Bertie County Board of Elections will open one-stop voting on schedule today (Thursday).

During Monday’s meeting of the Bertie County Board of Commissioners, they heard information about the losses by the elections department and its future.

Board of Elections Chairman Michael Freeman told the board that some of the voting machines the county owned were lost during the flooding of its former office. He said the county was utilizing its own machines that worked and spare ones owned by neighboring counties.

In addition, the county lost 3,712 ballots, but they will be replaced by election day.

“It’s been tough, but we will open one-stop voting as scheduled on Thursday,” Freeman told the board.

The board of elections was located in the old county office building on Queen Street. The office building has been vacated since and is a likely candidate for abandonment at this time.

Since the old office was flooded, the elections board moved to the former Department of Social Services Annex located at 210 West Watson Street.

During Monday’s meeting, Board of Commissioners Chairman Norman M. Cherry Sr. asked if the elections board was satisfied with the location and Freeman said they wanted to remain in that office.

Cherry said the commissioners would note the request and keep it in mind as a facility use plan was put in place by the county staff.

As for one-stop voting, the Board of Elections office will host the early voting and will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. each week day through October 29. The office will also be open from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 30.

In addition, the county will be operating a One-Stop Voting site at the Powellsville Town Hall. That facility will be open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. each week day and from 9 a.m. until 12 noon on Saturday, October 30.