Board of Elections officials in all four Roanoke-Chowan area counties were left scrambling in August to meet and develop Early Voting plans in advance of the Nov. 8 General Election.

That came on the heels of what initially was expected to be a 10-day period of early voting, as per the Voter ID law passed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2013, but was not put into effect until the 2016 March Primary.

However, since March, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled the majority of that law was unconstitutional. That decision led to the return of an extended Early Voting period that may begin as soon as Oct. 20 and end on the last Saturday (Nov. 5) prior to the General Election.

The Circuit Court’s decision will also allow for same-day registration available at early voting sites.

A directive from the North Carolina BOE sent to the Board of Elections offices in all 100 counties directed those boards to meet and develop an Early Voting (One-Stop) plan.

That plan can allow for more than one Early Voting location within a county. However, all counties are required to have at least one site opened during the duration of the Early Voting period.

According to an email sent Aug. 16 to all county Board of Elections offices, Kim Strach, Executive Director of the North Carolina BOE, said county BOE’s had until Aug. 31 to submit a “majority” plan to the state office.

R-C area Boards of Elections met that deadline; but only two (Hertford and Gates) reached full agreement on an early voting plan.

Bertie’s Board of Elections developed and submitted two plans. One of those was approved by the State Board of Elections during their recent meeting to approve plans of 33 counties where local boards failed to come to an agreement.

The now approved Bertie County Early Voting plan is as follows:

The Bertie Board of Elections office in Windsor will be open for one-stop voting on Oct. 20-21 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; on Oct. 24-28 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m; on Oct. 31-Nov. 4 from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m; and on Saturday, Nov 5 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m (the only Sat. for voting).

The Powellsville Town Hall will be open for voting on Oct. 20-21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Oct. 24-28 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; on Oct. 31-Nov. 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturday Nov 5 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m (the only Sat. for voting).

In Northampton County, the State Board set Early Voting at four sites: the Board of Elections office in Jackson, the Roanoke Center in Rich Square, Gaston Elementary School (only on Saturdays), and a Lake Gaston site.

Northampton Elections Director Susie Squire said the county board will meet Sept. 20 to establish times those One-Stop polling places will be open.

Hertford County’s three-member board was in total agreement to open three Early Voting sites at the same locations used for the last presidential election in 2012. Those sites and operating dates/hours are:

Hertford County Cooperative Extension Office in Winton – 8:30 am – 5 pm on Oct. 20-21, on Oct. 24-28, and on Oct. 31 – Nov. 4; and 8:30 am – 1 pm on two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5); and

The Murfree Center (Murfreesboro) and RL Vann School (Ahoskie) – 12 noon – 6 pm on Oct. 20-21, on Oct. 24-28, and on Oct. 31 – Nov. 4; and 8:30 am – 1 pm on two Saturdays (Oct. 29 and Nov. 5).

The Gates County Board of Elections met Aug. 23 and agreed on a plan to open two, One-Stop voting locations

One site is at the Board of Elections office in Gatesville that will be open from 9 am – 8 pm on Oct. 20, Oct. 27, and Nov. 3; from 9 am – 6 pm on Oct. 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31 and Nov. 1, 2 and 4; and from 9 am – 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The other Gates County site will be at St. John AME Church in Sunbury. That location will be open from 12 noon – 8 pm on Oct. 20, 27, and Nov. 3; 12 noon – 6 pm on Oct. 21, 24, 25, 26, 28, 31 and Nov. 1, 2, and 4; and from 9 am – 1 pm on Saturday, Nov. 5.

While the North Carolina BOE does allow counties to develop Early Voting hours on Sundays, it is not required. The boards in Bertie, Gates and Hertford counties opted against opening Early Voting sites on Sundays.

As per the decision reached by the Circuit Court, voters at Early Voting locations and those casting ballots on Nov. 8 will not be asked to show photo identification this election.

Additionally, if voters do not appear at their assigned precinct within their county, their vote will still count for all eligible contests. However, to avoid voting a provisional ballot, voters are encouraged to appear at their properly-assigned precinct on Election Day.