The Rowan County Board of Elections has moved 450 Salisbury municipal election voters to other precincts to decrease election-day expenses.

It’s a routine practice during municipal election years, said Board of Elections Director Nancy Evans. Transferred voters live in areas the city of Salisbury has annexed in recent years, Evans said.

Rowan County’s North Locke precinct contains the largest number of transferred voters — 343 — according to statistics. Other precincts include: Franklin, with 15 total voters transferred; Hatters Shop, with 33 total voters; and Ellis, with 59 total voters, according to statistics.

Locke’s voters will cast ballots in West Ward two, Franklin’s in Milford Hills City, Hatters Shop’s in East Ward and Ellis’ in West Innes.

Evans said the transferred precincts typically turn out in very low numbers, lower than traditional municipal turnouts. In 2013’s Salisbury City Council race, for example, only nine voters from the North Locke precinct cast a ballot, according to historical statistics. A total of 16 voters cast ballots in 2011’s race.

Evans said voters who arrive at the wrong precinct to vote in the Salisbury City Council race can cast provisional ballots at any precinct within the city limits. For other municipal races, such as Spencer or Rockwell, a voter likely won’t be able to cast ballots anywhere other than his or her assigned precinct, Evans said. Voting locations in other cities or precincts won’t have ballots available for other races, she said.

Election day is Nov. 3.

Any person who wants to register to vote in time for municipal races must do so by Oct. 9. The deadline also applies to those who have moved since the last election.

However, voters can also register in person at early voting sites after the registration deadline, Evans said.

During early voting, which starts Oct. 22 and ends Oct. 31, voters can appear at Rowan’s only early voting site — the Rowan County Library Headquarters in Salisbury — with proof of residence. A voter registration form must also be completed before a ballot is cast.

During early voting at the library’s headquarters building, voters can cast ballots in any assigned municipal race.

During municipal elections, Evans said voters will not be required to show photo identification in connection with North Carolina’s 2013 law.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246.