One-stop early voting continues in Elkin and Surry County’s other municipalities through 1 p.m. Saturday, with anyone eligible from any Surry precinct allowed to vote at these sites.
As of 11:15 a.m. Thursday, at least 30 voters had cast ballots at the new Elkin one-stop site in The Elkin Center of Surry Community College near the intersection of North Bridge Street and CC Camp Road. As of 5 p.m. Wednesday, the number of voters in Elkin totaled 195.
The one-stop voting site in Elkin remains open Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for those wanting to avoid Tuesday’s Election Day lines at their individual precinct voting sites.
The move of the Elkin one-stop site for this year’s primary election to The Elkin Center, 1461 N. Bridge St., from its previous site at the Elkin Rescue Squad had been confusing to some voters who reportedly stopped at the rescue squad first before following the instructions on a sign in the squad’s front yard directing voters to the new site, said election judges serving at the the Elkin site Thursday.
The Elkin precinct for the Tuesday primary election will still vote at the rescue squad, they noted.
County-wide, at 5 p.m. Wednesday, the four one-stop sites in Surry had served 2,275 voters, reported Susan Jarrell, director of the Surry County Board of Elections.
The one-stop sites at The Pilot Center of Surry Community College, 612 E. Main St., Pilot Mountain, and the Surry County Human Services Center, 1218 State St., Mount Airy, both follow the same hours as the Elkin site.
The early voting site at the Surry County Board of Elections office in the basement of the new courthouse in Dobson will be open Friday from 8:15 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 8:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.
New state voting laws require all voters to show a form of picture identification such as a driver’s license, state ID card or passport to be eligible to vote. Those without ID can vote, but most vote a provisional ballot.
Those who did register to vote by the Feb. 19 deadline can still register and cast a ballot at the one-stop sites. No new registrations will be taken on Tuesday for election day.
Voting numbers at the other one-stop sites in Surry County by 5 p.m. Wednesday included 1,083 in Mount Airy, 792 in Dobson and 205 in Pilot Mountain. Also 180 civilian absentee by mail ballots had been cast, five military absentee by mail ballots were cast, and six overseas absentee by mail ballots were cast.
Individual precincts will be open Tuesday for the primary election from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. A separate primary for the U.S. House of Representatives seats, which were affected due to a court ruling against prior district lines drawn, has been set for June 7.
Sample ballots can be found on the county’s board of elections website at http://www.co.surry.nc.us/departments/%28a_through_j%29/board_of_elections/index.php.
Wendy Byerly Wood may be reached at 336-258-4035 or on Twitter @wendywoodeditor.
Voter Carol Jernigan presents her valid form of photo identification, a new law effective for this election, to precinct judge Becky Current as Jernigan signs in to cast her ballot at the one-stop early voting site in The Elkin Center of Surry Community College on North Bridge Street. Early voting is open Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m at the Elkin location. Other judges at the site are, second from left, Betsy Robertson, Steva Bledsoe and, not pictured, Pat Mahan.
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Voter Carol Jernigan presents her valid form of photo identification, a new law effective for this election, to precinct judge Becky Current as Jernigan signs in to cast her ballot at the one-stop early voting site in The Elkin Center of Surry Community College on North Bridge Street. Early voting is open Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m at the Elkin location. Other judges at the site are, second from left, Betsy Robertson, Steva Bledsoe and, not pictured, Pat Mahan.
Wendy Byerly Wood | The Tribune
George Crater casts his ballot during early voting Thursday morning at the one-stop early voting site in The Elkin Center of Surry Community College on North Bridge Street. Early voting is open Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m at the Elkin location.
http://elkintribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/web1_DSC_0737.jpg
George Crater casts his ballot during early voting Thursday morning at the one-stop early voting site in The Elkin Center of Surry Community College on North Bridge Street. Early voting is open Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m at the Elkin location.
Wendy Byerly Wood | The Tribune
By Wendy Byerly Wood
wbyerly-wood@civitasmedia.com