Agenda - 01-19-1999 - 10c - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF ELECTIONS 110 EAST KING STREET HILLSBOROUGH, NORTH CAROLINA 27278 (919) 732-8181 ext. 2350 TO: County Commissioners FROM: Carolyn C. Thomas, Director DATE: January 6, 1999 SUBJECT: Campus Voting The members of the Orange County Boazd of Elections met on Tuesday, January 5`'' for their monthly meeting. As you aze aware, there has been some interest expressed for the Board of Elections to establish a satellite -voting site on the campus of UNC-CH for student voting. The Board understands the concerns of the students and the frustrations they face trying to arrange their schedule in order to vote and make all their classes, as well as transportation problems. The provision for satellite voting sites in the election laws of North Carolina is found in G.S. 163-130, which is quoted below: (1) All the satellite voting places to be used are listed in the county's written request; (2) The plan will in the State Boazd's judgment overcome a barrier to voting by the elderly or disabled; (3) Adequate security against fraud is provided for; and (4) The plan does not unfairly favor or disfavor voters with regard to race or party affiliation Orange County does have one precinct which this statute pertains to and that is the Weaver Dairy Satellite precinct. This is a satellite precinct for the residents of the Carol Woods retirement center that is covered under number (2) of G.S. 163-130. There was a bill introduced during the 1997 session of the General Assembly that would have allowed county boards of elections to set-up satellite voting sites for residents of college dormitories. This passed the Senate in 1997 but did not pass the House in 1998. As far as designating a said precinct entirely for residents of the college dormitories or surrounding dwellings, the General Statutes states that a resident of the county will vote only within the precinct in which they reside (G.S. 163-55). The location of dormitories alone encompasses 5 different precincts. This does not include students living off campus. The members of the Boazd of Elections aze very interested in voter participation and will do whatever the law will allow in order for all qualified voters to have easy access voting. Under the current statutes, no authority has been given to the county boards to establish any type of satellite polling sites. If you would like to discuss this further or if I can answer any questions you might have, please give me a call at 732-8181 ext. 2351.