If you live in Wake County you can start early voting as of 8:30 am tomorrow. I cut out the portion relevant to Wake County voters on when and where you can vote in the picture below. If you live elsewhere in North Carolina you can find information here at the link below. No matter where you live in NC, voting starts tomorrow for the Nov 2nd election.

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/GetDocument.aspx?id=2411



Early voting offers many benefits. Less worries about lines (although that isn't as big of a deal in an off year election), but it is also more convenient in that there are many days, times, and locations at which you can early vote. One can early vote at any designated early vote site in their county, but if you wait until election day itself, you have to go to your one specific voting site. Early voting offers more chances for corrections and updates to your voting information than you'll have on election day itself, including registration if you aren't registered in your current location if you've moved recently or for any other reason.

If you do need to do same day registration if you're not registered yet locally yet then just bring some sort of ID with you (your license will work fine for this if it has your current address, otherwise a utility bill with a current address would work too).

If you're worried about whether or not your information is correct, you can check in advance here:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/VoterLookup.aspx?Feature=voterinfo

As mentioned, if you wait until election day itself, you'll have to vote at your specific polling location. To find your precinct, click here:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/PrecinctFinder.aspx

Another question one might have is, who all am I voting for? I imagine everyone knows we're voting for US Senate, but there are many statewide, some local, and some judicial races as well. If you want to see what your sample ballot looks like with all the options of who you get to vote for, click here, enter your information, and after the search click on my sample ballot:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/VoterLookup.aspx?Feature=voterinfo

If you're interested in debates, one just happened tonight on NBC, which you can view in full here. It included 3 candidates:

http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/12198/NC%20US%20Senate%20Debate,%20Pt.%2001/

http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/12199/NC%20US%20Senate%20Debate,%20Pt.%2002/

http://news.mync.com/site/news/video/12200/NC%20US%20Senate%20Debate,%20Pt.%2003/

WRAL is hosting 2 debates, and including only 2 candidates. One has already happened, you can see the 2 minute summary clip below, and the other one has yet to occur. The next debate will be on WRAL (tv & online) on Oct 21 at 7pm.

2 minute WRAL summary video:
http://www.wral.com/news/state/video/8436531/

If you're looking for information for candidates for other races that you find on your sample ballot, campaign websites are a good source. If you're looking for one stop shopping, the Indy Weekly presents questionnaires to candidates all across the triangle, and if you use their websites search function, you are likely to find some information as well:

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/elections/Section?oid=1179044

If still in have any questions, you can always give the NC State Board of Elections a call Phone: (919) 733-7173 or (866) 522-4723 or google your county board of elections website and find their number & give them a call, since they are paid to answer such questions. Or, if you pose any voting related questions in this thread, I'll try to answer as well.

10/14/2010 12:10:08 AM

the only time i've ever had to wait in line was at early voting

10/14/2010 1:14:25 AM

Was that 2008? It was a bit of an odd ball in terms of higher turn out for early voting (enough to raise the number of signatures required for 3rd parties to get on the ballot I believe, which I view as an unfortunate side effect).

My experience is that voting on election day, more often than not, has more of a wait. But either way, in an off year election I don't think you have much to worry about. And its still more convenient in terms of more locations & more days.

10/14/2010 1:45:04 AM

No.

10/14/2010 1:52:13 AM

i think it was '08 now that you mention it. shit, go to a primary--the poll workers are lucky to stay awake...

10/14/2010 2:14:42 AM

It has begun.

10/14/2010 8:35:30 AM

DON'T VOTE FOR THE COMMIES

10/14/2010 9:41:11 AM

^Are anarchists okay though?

10/14/2010 9:42:41 AM

Supplanter, I really want to find an unbiased bio/credentials on all candidates by district/state. I'm in mecklenburg co. Link me please.

10/14/2010 9:57:04 AM

http://aflcionc.org/blog/2010/09/20/labor-2010-endorsements-general/

10/14/2010 10:16:32 AM

^^^ I wish there were some running.

10/14/2010 10:43:40 AM

^^^I'm working on it.

I'm looking for regional endorsements and voter guides.

The Indy Week's voter guide is great for triangle level elections, and covers statewide elections so that might help, and it usually covers the house races pretty well, but doesn't go into Mecklenburg local races:

http://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/elections/Section?oid=1179044

If you're looking for insight on candidates that aren't anti-gay, this is a statewide races endorsement
http://equalitync.org/pac/2010g

This one is Mecklenburg specific:
http://meckpac.org/component/content/article/36-news/58-voter-guide.html

If you're into the environment & wildlife, you may want to check out these:

Conservation Council score card covering the last several years:
http://www.conservationcouncilnc.org/our-work/scorecards/scorecard_2010.pdf

Sierra Club endorsements (you can see which ones are in Mecklenburg on the right):
http://nc.sierraclub.org/work/2010-NCSC-Endorsements.html

I don't have a good link for this b/c I pulled this down off the NC voter look up thing, but the NC House members who opposed a step towards comprehensive sex ed being taught in schools (parent's still have the option to opt their kids out & it still says abstinence/marriage is the best).

No Votes:
Democrats:

Quote :

"Representative(s): Braxton; Brisson; Cole; Spear"

Republicans:

Quote :

"Representative(s): Avila; Barnhart; Blackwell; Blackwood; Blust; Boles; Brown; Brubaker; Burr; Burris-Floyd; Cleveland; Current; Daughtry; Dockham; Dollar; Folwell; Frye; Gillespie; Grady; Guice; Gulley; Hilton; Holloway; Howard; Hurley; Iler; Ingle; Johnson; Justice; Justus; Killian; Langdon; Lewis; McComas; McCormick; McElraft; McGee; Mills; Moore; Neumann; Randleman; Rhyne; Sager; Samuelson; Stam; Starnes; Steen; Stevens; Tillis; West; Wiley"

If there is any particular issue important to you, google it a little bit to find out a related bill number, and plug it into the voter look up on the right here, and you can find out exactly how your legislator voted:
http://www.ncleg.net/

This is partisan, but it is Mecklenburg specific, and it has links to some campaign websites and facebook groups so that should be helpful in researching, even if not exhaustive:

Dem Candidates:
http://mecklenburgdemocrat.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=table&tableid=14&calculations=0&resetfilters=0&Itemid=150

Judges:
http://mecklenburgdemocrat.org/index.php?option=com_fabrik&view=table&tableid=12&calculations=0&resetfilters=0&Itemid=163

Here is a list of all the candidates in the Charlotte area, some with campaign websites.:
http://www.meckboe.org/Candidates.aspx

The my sample ballot can help you find the specific ones you will be voting on:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/VoterLookup.aspx?Feature=voterinfo

I've asked a friend in Charlotte who is really into elections (he was probably the first person to vote in the state when polls opened this morning & he's run for office in Charlotte b4), if he knows of any other guides I can share. People are coming over to visit soon & I have to clean or I would have put more than about 5 mins into it, but hopefully this can get you started.

[Edited on October 14, 2010 at 6:51 PM. Reason : .]

Found one more good one. Its non-partisan on judicial candidates, and its got tons of how to and frequently asked questions about voting in NC in general:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/GetDocument.aspx?id=2408

[Edited on October 14, 2010 at 6:54 PM. Reason : found one more]

10/14/2010 6:50:09 PM

EXCLUSIVE!!!!

YOU CAN ONLY VOTE EARLY IF YOU LIVE IN WAKE COUNTY!!!!

10/14/2010 6:54:26 PM

^And Mecklenburg (but nowhere else obviously):



And one more voting guide, for Meck, with candidate questionnaires:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/vote/

[Edited on October 14, 2010 at 10:31 PM. Reason : .]

10/14/2010 10:25:41 PM

Voting continues this week!



In addition to voting on candidates, we also have a statewide ballot referendum to vote on:

Quote :

"Constitutional amendment providing that no person convicted of a felony may serve as Sheriff ( ) For ( ) Against"

More discussion of that here:
http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=603393

In addition we'll be trying out instant run off voting for a statewide election for the first time:

More discussion of that here:
http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=603392

Here is what it will look like:

10/18/2010 5:14:11 PM

Board of Elections location opens up for voting again in about 5 hours

Address:
337 South Salisbury st, Raleigh NC

A google map link (says 5 min drive from Pullen Park):
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&biw=1680&bih=813&q=337+south+salisbury+st&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=337+S+Salisbury+St,+Raleigh,+NC+27601&gl=us&ei=X0i9TKblBcX_lgfH_b38DQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQ8gEwAA

Parking Info
http://www.wakegov.com/locations/government/parking.htm

Until Thursday it looks like the Board of Election's site is the only one for Wake. But starting on Friday the 22nd all the way through Sat the 30th it looks like all early voting sites will be open. I'll probably be voting over the weekend or next week when all the sites are open so I don't have to go as far.

10/19/2010 3:34:31 AM

Bump for early voting being in full swing. You don't have to just go to the board of elections site for Wake County any more.

You can now go to any county early voting site any day from now until the 30th.

If you live near campus your closest bets are:

Wake County Board of Elections OfficeGround Floor Conference Room(across from the Wake County Board of Elections Office)
337 South Salisbury Street,
Raleigh, NC 27601

Chavis Community Center
505 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.,
Raleigh, NC 27601

There are other Raleigh & Wake County areas you can vote, and its pretty easy to copy and paste the addresses into google maps from the pdf to find the closest one and best route:
http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/GetDocument.aspx?id=2411

10/22/2010 10:18:25 AM

I just passed a lot of this info on to my American Government class. Supplanter, you rock!!

10/22/2010 11:16:55 AM

I don't get an election card sent to me in the mail because I am too lazy to change my address...can I still early vote?

10/22/2010 11:18:18 AM

Anyone voting in Franklin County needs to check out Rosemary Champion, who is running for the county commissioner at large spot!

10/22/2010 11:18:35 AM

^^I believe you can because here in Meck Co. they don't even ask for a driver's license. I have never been asked to show my voter card. They want you to recite your name and address and that is it. Could possibly be shady, I guess.

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 11:21 AM. Reason : You can early vote in your county you are registered, I believe.]

10/22/2010 11:20:52 AM

^^^Yes, you can still early vote.

When you go take your license if it has your current address, otherwise a utility bill with a current address would work too, and they can update it on the spot since early voting includes same day registration.

^Same here, no ID required for voting when I go. But if you want to update your address, they do like proof.

http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/GetDocument.aspx?id=2408

If you encounter any problems, you can also ask for a provisional ballot:

Quote :

"3. PROVISIONAL BALLOT. If any problem arises, you have a right to vote with a provisional ballot. For example, ask for a provisional ballot if you believe you have registered but your name is not on the rolls; or if you question the voting district (or ballot) assigned to you; or if you are told that you are in the wrong precinct. You must also be given a way to find out if the provisional ballot was counted, and if not, the rea-son it was not counted. NCGS 163-166.11"

Actual policy on ID:

Quote :

"4. IDENTIFICATION. In general, you do not have to show identification to poll workers when you vote. NCGS 163-82.8. A voter’s identification is cross-checked with NC Driver License and SSA information when they register. However, if you are a first-time voter whose identification data did not match, you will be notified by mail of required identification that you will need to present before voting for the first time. Acceptable ID includes a current NC driver license or other government issued photo ID, or one of these documents with your name and current address: utility bill (electric, gas, phone, water, cable bill), pay-stub/W-2, bank statement, or any document from any government agency. NCGS 163-166.12 5. IF YOU HAVE MOVED. If you have moved from one place to another within the same county and have not updated your registration, you can update your registration and vote at an Early Voting One-Stop site in your county. Specific rules apply if you wait until Election Day: If you have lived in your new location more than 30 days, you have the right to vote in your new precinct or at a central location. If you have moved, but have lived in your new location less than 30 days, you must vote in your old precinct or cast a provisional ballot in your new precinct. If you have moved within your precinct, you have the right to update your information at the polls and vote. NCGS 163-82.15"

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 11:25 AM. Reason : .]

10/22/2010 11:21:02 AM

I was under the impression showing a government issued id could possibly be an infringement on the 24th amendment. Is that true?

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 11:23 AM. Reason : Poll Tax]

10/22/2010 11:23:41 AM

^ Could be if they didn't also accept utility bills, pay stubs, etc.

10/22/2010 11:26:04 AM

Gov issued ID is fine for proving an address update. Just posted in the actual policy (above) after digging it up.

I think it clears the 24th because you're not required to show it to vote, its just one of many options to update information.

Quote :

"Anyone voting in Franklin County needs to check out Rosemary Champion, who is running for the county commissioner at large spot!"

PackPrincess, what can you tell us about her? (I don't live there, but I wont pass up a good chance to learn more about nearby county officials).

I didn't turn up a lot on a google search other than this recent award (couldn't read the full article without subscribing):

http://www.thefranklintimes.com/archive.php?viewDay=2010-01-22

Quote :

"Rosemary Champion receives 2009 Citizen of the Year Award Rosemary Champion had a short walk from her seat to the podium. But it was a trail her mother blazed some time ago that led her to receive the Greater Franklin County Chamber’s Citizen of the Year Award for 2009. Champion received the honor Thursday night during the organization’s annual banquet and meeting sponsored by Franklin Regional Medical Center. "

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 11:39 AM. Reason : .]

Just found a facebook page which has more info and a link to more info contained within:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Rosemary-Champion-for-Franklin-County-Commissioner-at-Large/149060488458081?v=wall

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 11:44 AM. Reason : found some more info]

10/22/2010 11:26:15 AM

Maybe I'll go vote during my lunch break. Wonder if there's a polling place around here.

Lame, no polling station around here

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 11:46 AM. Reason : a]

10/22/2010 11:45:36 AM

Where is that?

10/22/2010 11:47:57 AM

How do you feel about incumbents winning more often than not?

10/22/2010 11:51:38 AM

Supplanter - This is her first time running for office. She is a branch manager of Carter Bank and Trust and was the 2009 Franklin County Citizen of the Year. She has served as President of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce and has also been on the Home Builder's Association Board.

http://www.unctv.org/election/candidates/Franklin/franklin_comm_champion.html

Quote :

"Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate): Married to Phillip Champion Two daughters, Paige & Elise. One son in law, Trip. One granddaughter, Joe. Managing Officer for Carter Bank and Trust from 1998 till present. Board & Community Involvement: Served on the Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President of the Board 2002 and Chairman of the Board 2006 Director of the Year 2006 Small Business Award for Franklin County 2007 2009 Franklin County Citizen of the Year Graduate of Leadership Franklin County Founding member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North Carolina Currently serving on the Unit Board and Corporate Board for the Clubs. President of the Unit Board 2008-2009 Member of the Franklin County Homebuilders Association Served as Executive Officer 1995-2010 Received Association Award 2006 Represented FCHBA on the Economic Development Board Represented FCHBA on the Franklin County Committee 100 Member of the North Carolina Bankers Association Candidate Statement: Your support is vital to allowing me to serve you as your Commissioner for the District 6 at large seat. Together we will make Franklin County a great place to live and work. Jobs will be one of my top priorities. We need to protect the businesses we have and retain jobs while continuing to recruit new businesses and industries so we can get our citizens back to work. Educating our students and future workforce cannot suffer. We must provide our students and teachers the resources they need to help every child reach their full potential. Our students need the best education we can offer so they will be able to compete in the workforce. Smart growth makes it possible for citizens to choose where and how to live, to secure good jobs, to educate their children and to be able to secure safe and affordable housing. Decisions we make today will define our tomorrow. I believe these are goals which can be achieved by county government and citizens working together. I know I can bring professionalism and integrity back to the District 6 at-large seat."

And the most important part - She's my mommy.

10/22/2010 11:52:35 AM

Quote :

"Where is that?"

I work near Pleasant Valley shopping center. No freaking way I'll make it to Optimist Park and back during my lunch break.

10/22/2010 12:07:43 PM

^You'll never make it to Optimist Park with that attitude

I guess that's why there's weekend and evening voting. Although, a lot of work places, at least in my experience, are open to extending lunch breaks for voting purposes

[Edited on October 22, 2010 at 12:25 PM. Reason : .]

10/22/2010 12:22:59 PM

Yeah my boss is a bitch. I'll probably just go on voting day. I'll be unemployed by then anyway

10/22/2010 12:30:03 PM

My weekend plans fell through so I just went over to the polling station in Cary. There were so many people

10/23/2010 4:41:48 PM

I appreciate Supplanter taking the time to put all of this information together. I think voting is a great thing to do and I hope that everyone eligibile to vote will do so.

I do have one caution for anyone using the Indyweek information. If you aren't familiar with Indyweek, it is a very liberal and left leaning publication. I actually enjoy reading it, but as with ALL media (including right wing), use it with caution. Indyweek's endorsements are full of support for mostly liberal Democrats and bashing of Republican candidates.

10/24/2010 11:54:15 PM

For most locations you'll need to send absentee requests out TODAY, Monday 25th.

10/25/2010 12:06:51 AM

Great information!!! Love it

I'm trying to work on setting up an election results party for a lot of our judges and county candidates. Should be interesting to see how this whole election works out.

10/25/2010 12:09:28 AM

^True enough, which is why I pointed people to the Indy Week questionnaires where candidates submit their own information, rather than the Indy Week endorsements.

(Although the IndyWeek doesn't always go w/ the most left leaning candidate, I can think of a few school board cases & sheriff races where that happened in just the past few years. They do explain their endorsements though, & allow user comments on practically every inch of the website, so there is often a counter point of view too)

But their utility is that they are triangle specific (where most tdubbers live) and drill down into the local races in ways that many media sources wont, and often have links to campaign websites, and candidate bios. As with any source of information, it is best to use more than to get the fullest picture possible.

The best source I think, for General Assembly elections, is this which I mentioned before:
http://www.ncleg.net/

If you have the inclination to look up how elected officials really voted, then you don't have to take their word for where they stand. Something like this can be used for the national level:

http://www.govtrack.us/
Although I'm sure there are more national vote trackers out there. But their utilization is often less necessary because national votes get more coverage than state ones, so people already have a better sense of where national figures stand.

If one is looking for some more overtly liberal sources than the indy week, here you go:
http://bluenc.com/
http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/
http://southernstudies.org/ (maybe not as overt, I don't know as much about this site)

Here is a more middle ground approach perhaps (not moderate, but balanced?)
http://talkingaboutpolitics.com/AboutUs.aspx

Quote :

"Gary Pearce is a Democrat. Carter Wrenn is a Republican. They met when they negotiated the Helms-Hunt debates in 1984 — Gary representing Governor Hunt, Carter representing Senator Helms. They have directed eleven successful statewide campaigns for Governor, Senator and President."

And some more resources:

Here are a few sites concerned with election & campaign finance reform:
http://www.democracy-nc.org/
http://www.commoncause.org/site/pp.asp?c=dkLNK1MQIwG&b=4847597

Green Party:
http://www.ncgreenparty.org/

Libertarian Party:
http://www.lpnc.org/

(I wont post links to Dems or Reps, ppl can find their own way there, they get enough traffic)

Here's a thread with discussion of ballot access issues for the Greens & Libs:
http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=601863

Here's WUNC's politics blog:
http://www.wunc.org/programs/news/Isaac-Hunters-Tavern

Here's a website advocating for animal welfare issues in NC:
http://ncvaw.org/

Here are their 2010 endorsements (without any reference to party affiliation) for all kinds of positions across the state:
http://ncvaw.org/2010-endorsements/

10/25/2010 12:31:23 AM

Quote :

"I do have one caution for anyone using the Indyweek information. If you aren't familiar with Indyweek, it is a very liberal and left leaning publication. I actually enjoy reading it, but as with ALL media (including right wing), use it with caution. Indyweek's endorsements are full of support for mostly liberal Democrats and bashing of Republican candidates. "

Did you just move to the area or something? Anyone who hasn't realized until now the Independent Weekly is a liberal paper must be living in a cave or is new to the area

That said, they did endorse Harrison for sheriff this year.

10/25/2010 10:15:05 AM

I voted today!!

I did a good amount of searching each candidate in my district. I hope I made a correct decision. I even voted for a few republicans and 2 libertarians (I know, I know, I threw my vote away on the libertarian votes, pffft).

GO VOTE PEOPLE!!!

10/27/2010 4:29:09 PM

as did I

this was my 4th (non-primary) time voting and I've got to say I always enjoy the people who work at the elections office

10/27/2010 4:32:02 PM

This is a left leaning site, so keep that in mind as you look at it if you use it (although it makes no effort to hide it). Its utility is that it discusses a lot of recent votes, sponsorships, and cosponsorships, and divides them into progressive actions, vs not, and an inaction section too:

http://thatsmycongress.com/house/
http://thatsmycongress.com/senate/

10/27/2010 5:29:13 PM

Bump... not many days of early voting left.

I was trying to keep all my politics in the soap box, and make this more about sharing info. But I figure that has been done thoroughly enough now, and I heard a discussion on our local NPR earlier this week with politicos from across the state that worried me. They seemed to agree that if the GOP gains control of the State Senate specifically, then we will end up with a constitutional amendment banning gay couples from getting married. (We already have a law against it so its redundant, & mean spirited, the state constitution isn't really the appropriate place for this political debate, and this is a waste of public officials time & resources)

Even if you vote straight ticket GOP, please consider doing otherwise for the State Senate (even if its just leaving that one blank). I don't want to see the step towards comprehensive sex ed 2009 law (w/ parents permission) repealed, & I don't want to see the constitution tampered with. And some election reform projects that are being piloted I worry will die out if the state Senate is lost.

Sorry for getting political here, but that really worries me (more so than Burr winning, I have a long & often posted rant against Burr in the Soap Box, but I feel this is more important, so if I'm going political I'd rather share this, than an anti-Burr message, which hopefully is telling on how important I feel this is).

10/28/2010 4:28:19 PM

Voted!

Also, don't want to get too political, but for everyone's sake, please vote Lorrin Freeman (D) for Clerk of Court. Lorrin Freeman has been doing a superb job, and it would really be a travesty if she were not re-elected. We're actually getting court cases calendared promptly, and things are so much more efficient. Her opponent (Janet Pueschel) apparently walked through the clerk of court's office last week and told everyone they would be fired if she were elected. She's also been the one running the campaign blaming Lorrin Freeman for Eve Carson's death.

[Edited on October 28, 2010 at 4:59 PM. Reason : ]

10/28/2010 4:58:32 PM

Why the hell is that an elected position anyway?

10/28/2010 6:15:58 PM

is she hot?

10/28/2010 6:17:04 PM

Jan Pueschel:

http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/111063/


Lorrin Freeman:
http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/10/21/752461/two-good-ones.html#storylink=misearch

[Edited on October 28, 2010 at 6:23 PM. Reason : ]

10/28/2010 6:22:00 PM

I'd say Freeman wins the hot award out of those two.

10/28/2010 6:25:31 PM

I'm voting right now. Yay absentee. 47c and bump all that driving and lines and stuff.

10/28/2010 7:22:50 PM

Remember kids, a vote for straight republican ticket is a vote for a straight democrat ticket!

10/28/2010 7:31:34 PM

Tomorrow (Sat) is the last day of early voting. Its from 10am to 1pm at all the Wake early voting sites.

Don't miss your chance!

10/29/2010 8:58:21 PM