In-person early voting begins April 28
Primary Elections in Western North Carolina will be held on Tuesday, May 17, but in-person early voting will get underway on Thursday, April 28.
Through Saturday, May 14, sites across Western North Carolina will be open to those who want to cast their ballots in advance of Election Day. No reason is needed for those who wish to use what is called “In-Person Absentee Voting” or “One-Stop Absentee Voting,” and voters can alternatively make their selections by mail as well.
To vote early, voters must appear at the designated early voting site in their home county between those dates. Most voters don’t need to show identification, but those who are voting for the first time or the first time in a new residence might, so it’s probably best just to bring it along just in case.
Vote-by-mail ballots are still available. Request yours by calling your county board of elections office, or by visiting ncsbe.gov/voting/vote-mail.
The last day to register to vote or to change party affiliation was Friday, April 22. To check your registration, to find your polling place — some have changed, especially in flood-ravaged Haywood County — or to view all the races you’re eligible to vote in, visit vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup.
Early voting locations
Haywood County
Haywood County Senior Resource Center, 81 Elmwood Way; Canton Public Library, 11 Pennsylvania Ave.; Clyde Town Hall, 8437 Carolina Blvd. All locations open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 1. To request an absentee ballot, call the Haywood County Board of Elections at 828.452.6633.
Jackson County
Jackson County Board of Elections, 876 Skyland Drive; Cashiers Recreation Center, 355 Frank Allen Road; Cullowhee Recreation Center, 88 Cullowhee Mountain Road; Qualla Community Building, 181 Shoal Creek Church Loop; University Center, 245 Memorial Drive. Open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 14. To request an absentee ballot, call the Jackson County Board of Elections at 828.586.7538.
Macon County
Macon County Community Building, 1288 Georgia Road; Highlands Civic Center, 600 N. 4th St. Open from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday hours vary by location. To request an absentee ballot, call the Macon County Board of Elections at 828.349.2034.
Swain County
Swain County Board of Elections, 1422 Hwy. 19 South; Birdtown Community Center, 1212 Birdtown Road. Open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday hours vary by location. To request an absentee ballot, call the Swain County Board of Elections at 828.488.6463.
