ASHEBORO – There will be two new polling sites in use for this fall’s municipal elections. Both will be at Asheboro locations.
The National Guard Armory on South Fayetteville Street and Asheboro Recreation Center on North Fayetteville Street are the new locations.
The municipal general election for Asheboro Board of Education, Asheboro, Franklinville, High Point, Liberty, Ramseur, Randleman, Seagrove, Staley and Thomasville will be held Nov. 7.
The Asheboro South precinct will be the National Guard Armory instead of Teachey Elementary School. Asheboro Recreation Center is the new site for the Asheboro West precinct, replacing Sunset Avenue Church of God.
“We think this will make it better for some of the voters,” said Melissa Kirstner, who’s elections director for Randolph County.
Voters at Asheboro Recreation Center should enter from Fayetteville Street.
The voting site at Franklinville United Methodist Church will remain as in the past in the fellowship hall on the grounds. In early July, a wall of the church sanctuary collapsed and the rest of that building was demolished. The polling place is in a separate building.
“They’ve had it checked out and it’s safe to use,” Kirstner said. “We’re very thankful. People were worried about that because they really like voting there.”
Aside from the new polling sites and Franklinville site, other voting locations are Central United Methodist Church in Asheboro, Balfour Elementary School in Asheboro, American Legion Post 81 in Liberty, Southeast Randolph Middle School in Ramseur, First United Methodist Church in Randleman, First Baptist Church of Seagrove, Staley Fire Station and Hopewell Elementary School in Trinity.
Registered voters who live within the boundaries of these municipalities and the Asheboro City Schools district may vote in the municipal election. Municipal contests may include the mayor and members of the municipality’s governing board.
New this year, voters will be asked to show photo ID. According to the Randolph County Board of Elections, all voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. Voters who lack ID can get one for free from their county’s board of elections.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
One-stop early voting will be held from Oct.19-Nov. 4 at the Randolph County Board of Elections, 1457 North Fayetteville St., Asheboro. Those times are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays plus from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Nov. 4.
Absentee ballots will be mailed to voters who have requested them beginning Oct. 6. The request must be received through the website or by the Randolph County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. Oct. 31.
Voter registration deadline for this election is 5 p.m. Oct. 13. Eligible individuals who are not registered by that deadline may register and vote at any early voting site during the early voting period. New registrants will be required to provide documentation of their residence.
There’s an Oct. 10 primary election for High Point. That involves three registered voters residing in Randolph County, Kirstner said.
