Bladen County voters can begin voting Thursday, Feb. 12 at six locations for candidates in North Carolina’s March primary elections. The early voting period will close Feb. 28.

Election day is March 3 for contested Democratic and Republican races. Primary winners will advance to the Nov. 3 general election that will determine representatives for Congress, state legislature, state courts and local offices.

“I think my staff and the board are ready for this upcoming election,” Bladen County Board of Elections Director James Nance III said. “The biggest thing that people in the public need to pay attention to is they need to make sure they have a photo ID.”

Voters have been required to show a photo ID, such as a driver’s license, since 2023 in North Carolina. However, according to Nance, during the early voting period voters will be allowed to vote a provisional ballot, then provide a photo ID. Voters also can obtain a photo ID at the Board of Elections office located at 301 South Cypress Street in Elizabethtown.

In a primary election, voters only vote in races involving the party in which they are registered. Unaffiliated voters can select either a Democratic or Republican ballot. Registered Libertarian or Green Party voters will not have any primary races in which to vote.

Bladen County will continue to use paper ballots, but Nance said new “Ballot on Demand” machines have been purchased that will print a ballot when a voter arrives instead of having stacks on ballots already printed.

“These machines will only be deployed at early voting,” Nance said. “Voters will still be handed an actual ballot to fill out, but the ballot will be printed on demand. This cuts printing costs for the county.”

Also, Bladen County Board of Elections is in need of election officials to work at voting sites for the early voting period as well as election day. These are paid positions and training is provided. For information about becoming an election official, call BOE at 910-862-6951.

Early voting sites in Bladen County are:

• Elizabethtown National Guard Armory, 1001 West Swanzy St., Elizabethtown

• Tar Heel Old Rescue Building, 14867 N.C. 87 West, Tar Heel

• East Arcadia Town Hall, 1472 East Arcadia Road, Riegelwood

• Spaulding Monroe, 508 Martin Luther King Drive, Bladenboro

• Dublin Community Center, 120 2nd Street, Dublin

• White Oak Ruritan Building, 9579 N.C. 53 West, White Oak

Voting dates and times at all locations are:

Feb. 12-13: 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Feb. 14: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

Feb. 15: Closed

Feb. 16-20: 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Feb. 21: Closed

Feb. 22: 1-5 p.m.

Feb. 23-27: 8 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

There are five local contested primary races. Democratic and Republican candidates who do not have a primary opponent automatically advance to November’s general election.

Commissioners District 3

Republican: Judy Bowen, Joe Allen Jr., Cameron McGill

Education District 1

Democratic: Gary N. Rhoda, Theresa Jacobs

Education District 2

Republican: Mackie Singletary, Walter Hester

Sheriff

Democratic: Gary Edwards, Chris Hunt

Republican: Carl Yonge, Jim McVicker

Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected].