Bladen County’s early voting plan set by state board

RALEIGH — Bladen County’s early voting plan was set by the state Board of Elections in a Monday morning meeting.

The county board is charged with setting the plan, but if not unanimous, the state has authority to choose any plan submitted or create one of its own. The state board, like the county board in its make up of three Democrats and two Republicans, didn’t offer any surprises in choosing the plan presented by Democrats Louella Thompson, Deborah Belle and Patsy Sheppard.

The state board, in July, implemented changes to requirements statewide. Among them was 10 hours of early voting the first two weekends.

Early voting will begin Oct. 15 and end Oct. 31. The early voting hours will be 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Saturdays. On the two Sundays, hours are 1 to 5 p.m.

Republicans Emery White and Michael Aycock agreed to all the hours, with exception of any on Sunday. Their proposal included 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the first two Saturdays.

The early voting sites, agreed to unanimously by the county board, will be at East Arcadia Town Hall, the former Booker T. Washington school in Clarkton, the former Spaulding-Monroe school in Bladenboro, the town gym on King Street in Elizabethtown, the municipal building in Tar Heel and the Bay Tree Fire Department.

Election Day is Nov. 3.