By: Blake Proctor
The Bladen Board of Elections met telephonically for their regular meeting on the evening of Tuesday, June 9th. The entire meeting was dedicated to discussing the possible effects of Covid19 on the upcoming election cycle, and to make plans for ensuring a smooth, healthy voting season.
The meeting’s dialogue revolved around early voting and One-stop voting sites. A lengthy debate followed in an attempt to find those places meeting minimum standards of adequate size to ensure social distancing, separate entrance and exit doors, and internet capability. Board Executive Director Christopher Williams stated that at least four and preferably five suitable sites need to be identified by the July meeting.
After much back and forth among the Board members, a list of nine sites was chosen for inspection prior to July 14th, for final consideration at that day’s meeting. These sites are the new Elizabethtown Fire Department, the Elizabethtown gym, Spaulding Monroe School, the old Booker T. Washington School, the old Rescue Squad Building in Tar Heel, the Bay Tree Fire Department, the Dublin Community Center, East Arcadia’s new Town Hall (formerly Bladen Community College), and White Lake the Venue.
Each possible site will be visited by two Board members, and pictures will be taken to be distributed so other members can see the suitability of that site.
Also discussed was the possibility of giving pay raises to poll workers not included in the pay increases provided to the election judges at the May Board meeting. It was decided to table this matter to the July 14th meeting, with Board members thinking until then about what incentives to provide.
Continuing that train of thought, a discussion ensued regarding meeting in person for the July meeting; but if Governor Cooper has not moved beyond the Phase 2 social opening, that masks still be worn. The meeting concluded at 6:55 p.m.
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