ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Board of elections recently announced specifics regarding voting for the Republican primary of the 9th Congressional District special election.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on May 14, the day of the primary.
Those wanting to avoid the election-day lines can take advantage of one-stop early voting from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 24-May 10 at the Richmond County Cooperative Extension Office, 123 Caroline St.
Voters can request an absentee ballot by filling out a form, found online at http://www.richmondnc.com/DocumentCenter/View/2182/Absentee-Ballot-Request-Form-By-Mail , or at the board of elections office and must be received by 5 p.m. on May 7.
According to the board office:
“Absentee voting requires the voter to complete an application on the return envelope that must be witnessed by two qualified persons or a notary public. Completed absentee ballots must be returned to the Richmond County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Election Day (ballots received by mail after this time will be timely if received within three business days and postmarked by Election Day). Voters may receive assistance voting a mail-in absentee ballot from a qualified person of their choice. If the voter lives in a facility such as a nursing home, and the voter’s near relative or legal guardian is not available, the voter or the facility can arrange to have the county board of elections schedule a visit by a Multipartisan Assistance Team to provide assistance and witnesses.”
Those voting in person are entitled to assistance by an election official, or, if assistance is needed due to disability or illiteracy, by a qualified person of their choice. Voting sites are accessible to all voters and curbside voting is available for voters who are not able to enter voting sites.
Only registered Republicans and unaffiliated voters will be allowed to vote in the primary.
Residents have until April 19 to register to vote, change address information or party affiliation.
Individuals will also be able to register and vote during the one-stop early voting period. Voters who fail to make a change in name or address by that time must update the information when presenting to vote, and may be asked to vote a provisional ballot.
The ballot will feature 10 candidates: Matthew Ridenhour, Chris Anglin, Leigh Thomas Brown, Albert Lee Wiley Jr. and Gary Mitchell Dunn, Stevie Rivenbark Hull, Stony Rushing, Fern Shubert, Kathie Day and Sen. Dan Bishop.
Of the 10 candidates, half are from outside the district, which includes Anson, Richmond, Scotland, Robeson and Union counties, as well as parts of Mecklenburg, Bladen and Cumberland counties.
If there is a clear winner in the primary, he or she will go on to face Democrat Dan McCready, Libertarian Jeff Scott and Green Party candidate Allen Smith, all of Charlotte.
The general election will be Sept. 10, unless a second primary is needed, in which case the general election will be Nov. 5. To avoid a second primary, one of the candidates must secure 30 percent of the vote.
McCready and Scott both were in the original election last November with Republican Mark Harris, who decided not to run again due to poor health.
A special election was called following an evidentiary hearing by the N.C. State Board of Elections regarding allegations election fraud in Bladen County by Leslie McCrae Dowless, who was hired by the Harris campaign.
Dowless and several others are facing criminal charges.
Anyone with questions about registration, polling places, early voting, absentee ballots, a Multipartisan Assistance Team visit to a facility, or other election matters is encouraged to call the Richmond County Board of Elections Office at 910-997-8253.
