Election board considering nine sites for early voting

ELIZABETHTOWN — Bladen County’s election board is considering nine sites for early voting in the fall.

In its regular meeting Tuesday, held by telephone due to the coronavirus, the panel said it would consider sites in each of seven incorporated municipalities, with two in Elizabethtown.

The sites the panel will go and check prior to its July meeting are:

• Elizabethtown: The new Fire Department, and the Recreation Department gym on King Street.

• Tar Heel: The former home of the Rescue Squad.

• East Arcadia: Town Hall, now in the building formerly used by Bladen Community College.

• Bladenboro: Old Spaulding-Monroe school.

• Clarkton: Old Booker T. Washington school.

• Dublin: Dublin Community Center.

• White Lake: The Venue at White Lake.

• And in the Harrells community of Bladen County, the Bay Tree Volunteer Fire Department is under consideration.

The board, which was missing Deborah Belle due to a death in her family, said it is hopeful of having four to five early voting sites. Discussion during the meeting indicated the panel is open to adding more; its decisions are related to concerns for a second wave of the coronavirus in the fall.

“If there is a second wave, it’d be better to keep the sites, so people are in their own area,” said board member Patsy Sheppard. “We want to encourage as much in-person voting as we can.”

Chris Williams, staff director for the Board of Elections, said each site will have a professional cleaning before early voting starts, and when it is completed. On Election Day, there will be a professional cleaning before and after as well.

The early voting plan is due to the state on July 31. The board anticipates voting on them, and on poll worker pay increases, at its July meeting.

Williams said the office will reopen on Monday to the public. Filing is ongoing for the Soil & Water Conservation District board; there is one seat open.