Early in-person voting underway for primary runoffs

Early in-person voting is currently underway across the state to settle a number of races that were not decided in March. The primary runoff, also known as ‘second primaries’, will hold in-person voting on May 14.

Early Voting hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, May 11, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Voters should note that is the only Saturday for Early Voting. Ballots will be cast at the Board of Elections Office located at 1300 Unifi Industrial Rd, Yadkinville.

Several races were sent to a runoff because no candidate garnered more than 30 percent of the vote total. In situations such as these the second-place finisher submits a formal request for a runoff.

Voters will be choosing the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor between Hal Weatherman and Jim O’Neill to face off against State Senator Rachel Hunt. Also on the ballot are Jack Clark and Dave Boliek who are both seeking the GOP nomination to be Auditor.

Elsewhere voters will settle the primary contest for Republican nominee to represent the recently redrawn 13th Congressional District currently represented by Rep. Wiley Nickel. House District 13 includes all of Caswell, Person, Franklin, Lee, Harnett and Johnston counties, as well as parts of Wake and Granville counties.

Nickel, a Democrat, was one of several North Carolina Democrats who opted to not seek reelection in their redrawn district. He joined Rep. Kathy Manning of Greensboro and Rep. Jeff Jackson who was representing the Charlotte area in deciding the new districts were drawn to be non-competitive. Jackson, however, is seeking higher office in a bid to replace Attorney General Josh Stein.

There are also a smattering of local races to be decided including races in Orange and Gaston Counties but nothing in the Yadkin Valley.

“These GOP primary runoffs are open to all registered Republicans in the state, or in the case of the congressional race, registered Republicans within the 13th District. Unaffiliated voters who either didn’t vote or voted Republican in the March primaries also can participate, the State Board of Elections said in a news release.

“We encourage all eligible voters to participate in the second primaries, which will help determine who will be the Republican nominees for several contests on the November 5 general election ballot,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections.

NCSBE said that all registered Republicans in North Carolina may vote in the statewide contests for lieutenant governor and state auditor. Also eligible for those contests are unaffiliated voters who either did not vote or voted the Republican ballot in the March 5 primary.

They also clarified that registration of new voters is not permitted between the first and second primaries, meaning same-day registration is not available during early voting for the second primary. However, individuals who become eligible to vote between the primary and second primary may register and vote on the day of the primary — May 14.

Early in-person voting ends on May 11 at 3 p.m. Absentee ballots for the second primary must be requested by May 7 at 5 p.m. and be returned by May 14 at 7:30 p.m.