By Blake Proctor
For several weeks now, the Bladen Board of Elections has been wrestling with the matter of ensuring the safety of the county’s electorate in the era of COVID-19 for this year’s election. It had been discovered that the polling place for the Abbots Precinct located at the Abbotts Community Building on Twisted Hickory Road did not meet the standards the Board had established previously for access points, social distancing, and other criteria.
Board Executive Director Christopher Williams has been searching for a location and found a site a mere quarter mile from the current polling place that fully met the Board’s relocation criteria: Abbottsburg Superette at 4517 NC Highway 211 West. Mr. Williams has successfully concluded negotiations with the building’s owner, Charles Wiggins.
Only the required resolution to change locations was needed to complete this move; so, Board Chair Louella Thompson called for this telephonic special meeting to vote on that resolution moving Abbotts Precinct from the Abbotts Community Building to the Abbottsburg Superette. On a motion by Board member Emory White and a second by member Michael Aycock, and on a voice poll of the Board, this resolution was unanimously adopted.
Mr. Williams stated that now that the Board has adopted the resolution, he will immediately begin the notification process. He stated that the resolution will be posted at both the Courthouse and the Board of Elections office; to both Bladen Online and the Bladen Journal; and, will send notices to each registered voter in the Abbotts Precinct.
The meeting then adjourned at 5:08 p.m.
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