ELIZABETHTOWN — Ten days after an instruction from the state Board of Elections, no staff members have visited the Bladen County election board.
Chris Williams, director of the local board, told the Bladen Journal before Tuesday’s meeting of the county panel he hasn’t heard from anyone with the state staff. On Feb. 14, following dismissal of complaints filed against two Bladen board members, the state board said it wanted state staff to visit and give instruction on requirements and conduct of closed sessions.
The business of Tuesday’s meeting included approval of nine absentee-by-mail ballots. Chairwoman Louella Thompson was not present; Deborah Belle, secretary of the board, led the meeting. Ballots acceptance were approved unanimously by Belle, Democrat Patsy Sheppard and Republicans Michael Aycock and Emery White.
The early voting period runs through Saturday at the Bladen County Board of Elections office, 308 S. Cypress St. in Elizabethtown; Old Spaulding-Monroe School, 508 MLK Drive in Bladenboro; and at the East Arcadia Town Hall, 1472 E. Arcadia Road in Riegelwood. Voting hours are 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at each site today, Thursday and Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.
The primary is Tuesday, with polls opening at 6:30 a.m. and remaining open until 7:30 p.m.
Due to cancellations for various reasons, the county board is still seeking to add poll workers. Training for 21 will be held Thursday, Williams said.
The multi-partisan assistance team, created under state statute to visit facilities such as nursing homes, did make one visit last week. There, 25 people cast ballots.
Williams said 19 absentee-by-mail ballots have been returned, and 71 requested. Tuesday was the last day to make a request.
In one stop early voting Feb. 13-24, Bladen County had 1,693 people cast ballots, with two provisionals. There were 31 new registrations.