By Becky Long
Publisher
Labor Day unofficially marked the sprint to election day, but Clay County voters won’t have to wait until Nov. 5 to cast a ballot. Important voting dates on the horizon include absentee and early voting.
The Clay County Board of Elections will begin mailing absentee ballots on Sept. 6 to eligible voters who submitted a request. Absentee ballots can be received by the BOE as late as election day, but will not be valid if received the next day which in this case is Nov. 6.
BOE Director Rebecca Hall strongly encourages absentee voters to send in their ballots early to ensure it arrives on time.
“Get them in early,” she said. “The ballot has to be in my hands on election day by 7:30 p.m. There is no postmark date anymore”
Absentee voting is open to anyone. Those ballots may be requested or submitted in person or by a close family member at the BOE office, 75 Riverside Circle, Suite 3, in Hayesville or online at: votebymail.ncsbe.gov.
The actual voting of an absentee ballot must be witnessed by two people or by a Notary. After completing it, return the ballot to the Clay County BOE in person or by mail via the US Postal Service, DHL, FedEx, or UPS. It will cost $1.77 to mail it back in, but no cost if submitted in person.
Regarding the relatively new voter ID requirement that took effect in November 2023, a copy of a valid ID must accompany the absentee ballot when it is submitted, according to the Elections Board. ID is required of all voters, regardless of in person or absentee methods.
Another option for casting a ballot is early voting which begins Oct. 17 and continues through Saturday, Nov. 2. It is held at the local BOE office, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 2.
The heated presidential race between Democrat Kamala Harris and Republican Donald J. Trump may be generating the most buzz in the 2024 elections, but that’s not the case in our local elections where’s there’s no opposition.
Clay County Commission Republican incumbents Randy Nichols, Rob Peck and Dwight Penland will be on the ballot, but are not opposed as is the case with the two Republican school board candidates, incumbent Danny Jones and newcomer Josh Ashe, who won the second spot in this year’s primary. Glen Cheeks is the sole candidate as Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor.
Also on the ballot is the N.C. Governor’s race headed by Republican Mark Robinson against Democrat Josh Stein.
Other races that may be familiar to local voters include the U.S. House of Representatives between incumbent Republican Chuck Edwards and challenger Democrat Caleb Rudow; N.C. State Senate between Democrat Adam Tebrugge and Republican incumbent Kevin Corbin; and the N.C. House of Representatives between incumbent Republican Karl Gillespie and Democrat contender Nancy Curtis.
To check your registration or update address information call the BOE at (828) 389-6812.
Important election dates:
Sept. 6: County boards of elections begin mailing absentee ballots to eligible voters who submitted an absentee ballot request form.
Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).*
Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.
Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).
Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).
Nov. 5: General election day.
Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.)