Early Voting begins Thursday (Oct. 20th) across North Carolina. If you aren't already registered, Early Voting gives you the opportunity to register and vote at the same time; if you're not already registered, you will not be allowed to vote on Election Day Nov. 8th.
Early Voting in North Carolina is considered Absentee Voting. Some people have already voted. Voting by mail began in September, and those who requested an Absentee Voting By Mail ballot have until Election Day to return it to their county's elections office.
One big difference about Early Voting is that you don't have to vote in the precinct where you're registered--you can vote at any of the Early Voting locations in your county. [On Election Day, you must vote in the location for voting in your precinct.]
As usual, most of the local races in Lincoln County are essentially already decided. Only Republicans filed for those offices, and the Nov. election is just a formality. For Lincoln County Commissioner, Bud Cesena and Jamie Lineberger are the only names on the ballot. Sheriff Bill Beam also has no opponent as do Register of Deeds Danny Hester and Clerk of Court Fred Hatley. Mike Miller is also unopposed for District Attorney, Jason Saine for the NC House seat #97, Ted Alexander for the NC Senate seat #44, and Micah Sanderson for the District 27B-seat one judgeship.
Black voters have three black candidates on their ballot in Lincoln County. Cheri Beasley, a former State Supreme Court justice, is running against Congressman Ted Budd for the US Senate. Two other candidates are also in that race: Libertarian Shannon Bray and Green Party candidate Matthew Hoh. The other African-American candidates on Lincoln County ballots are Keith Poston, who is running against Tony Jenkins for an At-Large seat on the Board of Education and Mary Frances White, who is seeking re-election to the Lincolnton City Council representing Ward One, opposed by GOP candidate Kevin Demeny.
In the other City Council election, Jill Tipton is seeking to unseat Ward
Three Councilman Marty Eaddy. Lincolnton Mayor Ed Hatley is running unopposed.
For the Lincoln County School Board, in addition to that At-Large seat, voters will choose a new representative for District Two. Current School Board member Joan Avery was eliminated from that district when the new election district lines were drawn. Fred Jarrett is the Repubican candidate for that seat; Linda Wolfe, the Democrat. Krista Heavner is unopposed for the Distict Five seat.
Two seats on the NC Supreme Court and four on the Court of Appeals are up for election. For Supreme Court Seat Three, the candidates are Republican Richard Dietz and Democrat Lucy Inman. For Seat Five, Democrat Sam Ervin IV is seeking re-election against Republican Trey Allen.
For the Court of Appeals, the opponents for Seat 8 are Republican Julee Tate Flood and Democrat Carolyn Jennings Thompson. For Seat 9, Democrat Brad Salmon hopes to unseat Republican Donna Stroud. For Seat 10, Democrat Gale Murray Adams is running against incumbent John Tyson; and for Seat 11, Republican Michael Stading hopes to replace Democrat Darren Jackson.
For the 10th District seat in the US House of Representatives Army veteran Pam Genant, a Democrat from Valdese, hopes to replace Republican Patrick McHenry, who has held the seat for 17 years, since 2005. The district includes Lincoln, Catawba, Cleveland, the northwest corner of Gaston, all of Iredell, Alexander & Burke counties, and the eastern half of Rutherford.
For a list of locations and times to vote in Lincoln County, CLICK HERE.
