By Blake Proctor
Meeting at their offices in person for the first time since March, the Board of Elections held a short but intense meeting with some profound actions taken. Chair Louella Thompson called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m; all board members and other attendees were required to be masked.
First up, following an evidently politically divisive Pledge of Allegiance, Executive Director Christopher Williams informed the Board that concrete plans for providing one-stop strategies for November’s General Election early voting were due into the NC Board of Elections by July 31st, with emphasis on the number of and locations of these Sites.
At the June meeting, the Board determined all members would visit several proposed sites to determine each’s suitability; the major determinants would be an adequate size to allow for social distancing, separate entrances and exits, and access to the internet.
Of the nine possibilities, six sites met those criteria: the new East Arcadia Town Hall, Bladenboro’s Spaulding-Monroe Community Center, the Booker T. Washington School in Clarkton, the Tar Heel Community Building, White Lake’s Bay Tree Fire Department, and the gymnasium on Elizabethtown’s King Street.
Dublin’s Community Center was initially considered a viable polling site; however, the Town and the Board could not reach agreement on either facility rental fees or the provision of internet services.
Discussion ensued on the times that early voting places would be open. On a vote of 3-2, with Board members Michael Aycock and Emery White dissenting, on weekdays, the polling places would be open for early voting from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; on all three Saturdays, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; and on Sundays, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mssrs. Aycock and White did not believe voting should take place on Sundays.
Dispensing with State-mandated planning, the board members revisited the compensation questions discussed at prior meetings. Following dialogue on and reassurances of previous recommendations, it was again agreed to increase Chief Election Judge pay to $250.00, Judge pay to $200.00, and Assistant Judge pay to $180.00.
The pay for poll workers during early voting will increase from $10.00 per hour to $12.50 hourly; additionally – for this election only – all poll workers will get an additional $2.50 as hazard pay. For those working on election day, there will be a $25.00 hazard pay. Finally, for those who need to travel between polling places or from polling sites to the Board offices, mileage will be paid at the Federal rate.
On a motion by Mr. Aycock, seconded by Mr. White, it was unanimously approved to send the two recommended plans to the State Board of Elections as advanced by the majority votes of this board, and additionally, to approve the pay increases as stipulated.
Having successfully concluded the thorny business of several meetings, the Board adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
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