Deadlines approaching for general election

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, September 18, 2018

With the November general election less than two months away, deadlines are approaching for absentee ballots and voter registration.

Federal standards require that ballots be delivered to uniformed and overseas citizens by Friday, Sep. 21.

Elections director Nancy Evans reported that, in spite of the weather, this measure should be met. She said that absentee, civilian ballots should be arriving later this week, meeting a similar 45-day requirement.

“The state board was checking with their partners (Monday) … morning to make sure we had access,” she said, “To make sure that we were in power and able to receive UPS or FedEx deliveries or if we were going to have to change it to another location.”

Absentee ballot applications are available at the Board of Elections Office at 1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard W. Suite D10 in Salisbury. An immediate relative may submit an application for a ballot to be sent to a voter who is out of town, such as a college student, or for a voter who is confined to the home and cannot get to the polls on election day.

The deadline for applying for an absentee ballot to be mailed is 5 p.m. Oct. 30.

The deadline to register to vote or make changes of address on voter registrations is Oct. 12.

Mail-in voter registration forms are available at the elections office, at any county library, and on the elections website at www.rowancountync.gov/elections.

Forms must postmarked no later than Oct. 12.

People wishing to register and vote after the registration deadline may appear in person at a one-stop absentee voting site, complete the voter registration application form, provide proof of residence and vote the same day.

These sites include:

  • The Rowan County Board of Elections office
  • Rockwell American Legion – 8580 U.S. Highway 52 E, Rockwell
  • South Branch, Rowan Public Library – 920 Kimball Road, China Grove

Sites will be open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2 as well as Saturday, Nov. 3 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.