ELIZABETHTOWN — One-stop voting parameters have been established by the Bladen County Board of Elections.

The five-member panel, four of which were sworn in for two-year terms July 20, decided to offer 109 hours of early voting with consistent hours at one site. The only weekend date is the final Saturday, as mandated by law.

Early voting begins Oct. 14. The weekday dates are Oct. 14 and 15, from Oct. 18-22, and from Oct. 25-29. Hours each weekday are 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., sans a one-hour lunch break. On the final Saturday, Oct. 30, the hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Chris Williams, staff director, went through the rules of the process. He also said Bladenboro wanted to participate contingent on a location being in the town. The board considered options, including the town financing an entire site, but ultimately opted unanimously for one site at the Board of Elections office in Elizabethtown.

The board does not expect Bladenboro to opt in. Elizabethtown and White Lake will be utilizing early voting.

The cost of the early voting plan approved, using five poll workers, is $6,812.50. Poll workers are paid $12.50 an hour. If Bladenboro does not opt in, the towns of Elizabethtown and White Lake each will be billed $3,406.25.

The board, in this two-year cycle, operated with five members — the same five as in 2019 and 2020. In July, Chairwoman Louella Thompson and members Deborah Belle, Michael Aycock and Emery White were sworn in. Hakeem Brown, a sheriff candidate in 2018, had been appointed in June by the state Board of Elections but subsequently declined the position.

Patsy Sheppard, a member of the board since 2019, remains in her position as allowed by state law until the vacancy is filled, Williams said. Neither the county or state boards gave public advisement prior to the meeting that Sheppard would continue to hold a position.

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