NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION

COLUMBUS COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA

A General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2020 in Columbus County to vote in the following contests:

US PRESIDENT, US SENATE, NC STATE SENATE – DISTRICT 13, US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – DISTRICT 07, NC GOVERNOR, NC LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, NC ATTORNEY GENERAL, NC AUDITOR, NC COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE, NC COMMISSIONER OF INSURANCE, NC COMMISSIONER OF LABOR, NC SECRETARY OF STATE, NC SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, NC TREASURER, NC SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE – SEAT 01, NC SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE – SEAT 02, NC SUPREME COURT ASSOCIATE JUSTICE – SEAT 04, NC COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE – SEAT 04 , NC COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE – SEAT 05, NC COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE-SEAT 06, NC COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE-SEAT 07, NC COURT OF APPEALS JUDGE – SEAT 13, NC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – DISTRICT 016, NC HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES – DISTRICT 046, NC – DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DISTRICT 13 – SEAT 03, NC DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DISTRICT 13 – SEAT 04,NC DISTRICT COURT JUDGE DISTRICT 13 – SEAT 05, NC DISTRICT COURT JUDGE – DISTRICT 13 – SEAT 06, COLUMBUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – DISTRICT 02, COLUMBUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – DISTRICT 03, COLUMBUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS – DISTRICT 04, COLUMBUS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS DISTRICT 05, COLUMBUS COUNTY REGISTER OF DEEDS, COLUMBUS SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT SUPERVISOR, COLUMBUS COUNTY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION – DISTRICT 01, COLUMBUS COUNTY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION – DISTRICT – 05, WHITEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION- DISTRICT 03, WHITEVILLE CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION -DISTRICT 04, REIGELWOOD SANITARY DISTRICT BOARD

Voters will also vote on the following referenda:

Voters will not be required to show photo ID for elections held in 2020. Federal and state courts have temporarily blocked North Carolina’s voter photo ID requirement from taking effect until further order of the courts.

Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the day of the election, Tuesday, November 3.

One-stop early voting will be open from Thursday, October 15 until Saturday, October 31. The Columbus County Board of Elections Site will be open from 8:30 A.M.-5:00 P.M. weekdays and from 8;00 A.M.-3:00 p.m. on Saturday October 31, 2020.

Canvass will be held in the Columbus County Board of Elections office at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, November 13.

Absentee voting by mail is available. Requests for an absentee ballot must be made on an absentee request form (available on the State Board of Elections website and, at the county board of elections office, and must be received in the Columbus County Board of Elections office or any one-stop early voting site by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2020. Completed request forms may only be returned in-person to the Columbus County Board of Elections office by the voter, the voter’s near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or by a Multi-partisan Assistance Team, or delivered by the U.S. Postal Service or designated delivery service (DHL, FedEx, or UPS). Absentee voting requires the voter to complete an application on the return envelope that must be witnessed by one qualified person. Completed absentee ballots must be returned to the Columbus County Board of Elections by 5:00 p.m. on Election Day (ballots received by mail after this time will be considered timely if they are received by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6, and postmarked on or before Election Day). Voters may receive assistance voting a mail-in absentee ballot from a near relative or verifiable legal guardian, or by a qualified person of their choice if a near relative or legal guardian is not available. If the voter resides 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 serve as a witness.

All persons who are registered to vote with the Columbus County Board of Elections may vote in this election. Persons who are not already registered to vote in the county must register by Friday, October 9 to be eligible to vote in this election. Voters who are not registered in the county by that deadline may register and vote during one-stop early voting only, and will be required to provide documentation of their identity and residence.  Voters who fail to timely make a change to their name or address in the county must update the information when presenting to vote, and may be required to vote a provisional ballot.  

Voters 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.  Curbside voting is available for voters who are not able to enter voting sites.

Buffer Zones: At the Precincts on Election Day and at the One-stop voting site, buffer zones will be clearly marked off with yellow caution tape (50 ft. from the main

entrance of voting place entrance). Only individuals arriving for purpose of voting or an individual filing a challenge may enter this area. There shall be no

campaigning or Electioneering inside the buffer zone area nor should anyone impede a voter’s access into this area. Precinct officials will designate an area on the

premises where campaigning and electioneering will be allowed.

Persons with questions about registration, polling places, early voting, absentee ballots, a Multipartisan Assistance Team visit to a facility, or other election matters may call the Columbus County Board of Elections Office at (910)640-6609

Bonita Blakney
Columbus County Board of Elections