ELIZABETHTOWN — More municipalities are expected to opt in for one-stop voting this fall, and one of them may add a liquor by the drink measure to the ballot.

Bladen County’s staff director of the Board of Elections, Chris Williams, gave those items of information to the board during Tuesday’s regular meeting held telephonically. More than half the meeting was conducted with just four members present, and that after starting about 10 minutes late under the direction of Chairwoman Louella Thompson.

Williams said he’s had preliminary talks with some of the towns. Dublin, he said, has told him they want to do one-stop this year, and he believes Elizabethtown and White Lake also will want to be included. Bladenboro is another possibility.

In the discussion, board members and Williams said they didn’t think Tar Heel would participate. Clarkton and East Arcadia were not mentioned.

For this 2021 election cycle, municipalities have seats on the ballot in what is generally referred to as an “off-year” election. Participation is usually less because it is not a presidential year or mid-terms for Congress. Williams said the seven municipalities in Bladen County include more than 5,550 registered voters.

Costs for one-stop voting are shared equally by the towns. Those that do not participate are not responsible for the costs. Thus, the more that participate, the less it costs each.

Williams said by way of example, if three participate the cost for each would be in the neighborhood of about $2,500.

He added that part of the equation on costs involves the county board deciding if Saturday and or Sunday voting is included, and how many locations are used. The county board is due to have its election plan to the state for approval on or before Aug. 12.

The liquor by the drink vote in White Lake was expected to be decided later in the evening when its commissioners met by the internet application Zoom. That panel also had an agenda item for early voting listed.

Williams said the county board staff is going through biannual mailings to update the active voter rolls; will be waiting to mail out the national change of address cards until March 1, as requested by the state board; and is considering how to best spend a $50,000 Help America Vote Act grant.

Williams said leftover personal protective equipment from the last election cycle will be properly stored and utilized for the coming election cycle as needed.

“We had some leftover. I don’t see the virus leaving that quick,” he said.

“I know that’s right,” Thompson said in response.

The chairwoman also read a thank you note from Robin Summerlin, addressed to the board appointees and the director in regard to their handling of the 2020 election cycle.

The board is next scheduled to meet on the second Tuesday of March.

Alan Wooten can be reached at 910-247-9132 or awooten@bladenjournal.com. Twitter: @alanwooten19.