Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Haven’t Registered To Vote in the General Election Yet? Here’s How

Story by Kristen Street

At the voter registration table on ASU’s Sanford Mall, volunteers (from left) Kimberly Smith, Debbie Anne Hall and Alex Younger speak with ASU student Jason Pearson about voting. Photo by Kristen Street As Election Day comes closer and closer, the Watauga County Board of Elections, along with many volunteers, has been working to register as many citizens to vote as they can. The deadline to register for local elections is Friday, October 10, although procrastinators do have the opportunity to register and vote on the same day during the early voting period from October 16 through November 1.

People who need to register or change their address or want to change their party affiliation can go to the Watauga County Board of Elections office, located on the main floor of the Watauga County Courthouse, or to the Watauga County Public Library, the drivers’ license office, public assistance agencies, agencies serving persons with disabilities, and the high school.

You can register at a variety of other places around Boone. The Democratic Party Headquarters is located on Straight Street, and the Republican Party Headquarters is on Meadowview Drive. You can register under any party affiliation at any voter registration site.

Many interested citizens have been conducting registration drives around town, the most consistent being the one on ASU’s Sanford Mall. The voter registration table, sponsored by the Students for Obama and the Obama Headquarters, is staffed from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every weekday.

You can also print a registration form and mail it in. Click to the State Board of Elections website at www.sboe.state.nc.us, print the form and mail it to your local Board of Elections office.

The effort this year to increase voter registration numbers has been immense. The Watauga County Board of Elections received more than 4,000 new registrations in the month of September alone. Much of this activity is attributed to the on-campus registration.

Jane Hodges, director of the Watauga County Board of Elections said, “I feel strongly that this is a very important election, from president down to our school board. As we have learned from the past, every vote really counts. Two years ago it came down to the provisional votes making the difference for one of the offices. You really can have a voice.”

The 2008 General Election Voter Guide was recently mailed out to every address in the state, but if you need another, visit the Board of Elections office to pick one up. Inside you will find info on candidates, descriptions of the duties and responsibilities of each office, how programs are funded, how to fill out a ballot and voting accessibility.

If you have any questions about election matters such as registration, location of polling places or absentee ballots, call the Board of Elections office at 828-265-8061.