Richmond County Elections Board to amend early voting schedule following executive order

ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Board of Elections is meeting Tuesday to amend its One-Stop Early Voting plan.

On July 17, State Board of Elections Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell issued an executive order mandating that early voting locations be open for 10 hours during the weekends of Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25.

Brinson Bell’s order also requires the following provisions:

• Each county board must open at least one early voting site per 20,000 registered voters in the county. A county board of elections may apply for a waiver if its proposed plan sufficiently serves the voting population, maintains social distancing and reduces the likelihood of long lines.
• Any county board with only one early voting site must arrange for a backup site and backup staff.
• County boards may open early voting sites before 8 a.m. and remain open later than 7:30 p.m., provided that the sites (other than the county-board office or in-lieu-of site, if only open regular business hours) are all open at the same time.

The order, according to a press release, is to minimize the risk of voters and poll workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If we do not take these measures, we risk much longer lines at voting sites and greater possibility of the spread of the coronavirus,” Brinson Bell said. “These are not acceptable risks in this important election year when we expect turnout to be high.”

With the Richmond County BOE meeting at the office on S. Franklin Street, space limitations and social distancing guidelines leave no room for the public to attend in person. However, members of the public can listen in by phone.

Anyone wishing to participate in the public comment section can submit their comments, to be read by the chairman or Elections Director Connie Kelly, via email to connie.kelly@richmondnc.com. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday.

To dial in and listen by phone: 1-415-655-0001

Meeting number (access code) 160 904 9771