Orange County voters will have a chance to cast their ballots on Sundays during the early voting period for the first time this fall.

The North Carolina Bipartisan Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement voted in a Sunday afternoon meeting to approve the early voting plan put forward by Democratic members of the Orange County Board of Elections. The plan will include early voting hours on Sunday for the first time in history in Orange County.

The four-member county Board of Elections submitted three plans to the state board for consideration. Sunday voting was the sticking point, as it has been in years past in Orange County, during a meeting of the local board last month. The meeting ended with no plan receiving the unanimous support needed to avoid having the state weigh in on determining the final plan.

Democratic members of the county board – Jamie Cox and Elvira Mebane – would not support any plan that did not include some Sunday voting hours, while Republican member Bob Randall made clear he would not support a plan that had any Sunday voting.

The approved plan calls for early voting in Orange County to be held at five locations: the Board of Elections office in Hillsborough, Carrboro Town Hall, Chapel of the Cross near the UNC campus, Seymour Center and Efland Ruritan Club.

Those locations will be open 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. weekdays, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Sundays during the early voting period, which runs from October 17 – November 3. The Sunday hours are limited due due to one of the scheduled locations being a church and a recent North Carolina law requiring all sites outside of the county’s Board of Elections office to be open uniform hours on weekends.

All of the plans that were submitted to the state board included a large overall increase in the total number of early voting hours. But that comes mainly from the requirement in recently passed legislation that all sites be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays. It is widely expected that the early morning hours at the early voting sites on weekdays will generate much less traffic than other hours, but they must be open and staffed, according to the new law.

The legislation was passed by Republicans during the recent legislative short session but drew criticism from the Republican Board of Elections members during July’s meeting because board members said it removed flexibility from the county.

Related Stories
‹
First Orange County Early Voting Totals Show Slight Bump from 2014 Mid-Term
Totals from the first day of the early voting period are up slightly in Orange County when compared with the last mid-term election. The Orange County Board of Elections reported 2,785 votes were cast on Wednesday, the first day of early voting. That is up from 2,528 on the first day of the early voting […]
State Board Sets Meeting to Decide Early Voting Plan for Orange County
The North Carolina Bipartisan Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement has set a meeting to establish early voting hours and locations for counties that could not agree to a plan at the local level. Orange County is among the 15 counties still awaiting finalized early voting plans for this fall’s elections. The four-member Orange County […]
Where to Vote Early in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties for the 2024 Elections
Early voting in North Carolina begins this week. Here is what to know to cast your vote in Orange, Durham, and Chatham Counties.
Orange County Changes 203 S. Greensboro Street as Early Voting Site, Citing Construction Timeline
An impending election combined with ongoing construction of Carrboro's new library is leading to change an early voting location.
Runoff Election Day is Here. Here's What You Need to Know to Vote in Orange County.
Election Day voting for North Carolina's two outstanding primary elections and Orange County School Board's runoff will run through 7:30 p.m.
Early Voting in 2024: What Do You Need To Know in Orange, Durham, or Chatham County?
Early voting is about to begin for the 2024 primary! Here's what you need to know in order to vote in Orange, Durham, or Chatham County.
Here Are the Important Dates to Know for 2023 Election Season in Orange, Chatham Counties
What are the dates and deadlines Orange and Chatham County voters should know for the 2023 municipal election cycle?
Early Voting Turnout High in Orange County, But Slightly Lower Than 2018
Early voting turnout was high this year, both statewide and locally in Orange County - but what that means for the outcome is anyone's guess.
Chapel Hill Library Joins 2022 Early Voting Locations in Orange County
Election Day is just more than three months away and the Orange County Board of Elections recently approved the local early voting sites for the midterm cycle. The five-member board unanimously voted to add the Chapel Hill Public Library as its sixth early voting location during a meeting on Tuesday. Previous early voting locations of […]
50,000 Early Voting Ballots Cast in Orange County, 3.6 Million in North Carolina Overall
Early voting in North Carolina ended on Saturday and more than 50,000 Orange County residents cast their ballots at voting sites before the deadline. The Orange County Board of Elections reported that 50,562 residents cast early ballots at the six early voting sites across the county. Here’s a breakdown of how each early voting site […]
›