The recent statewide redistricting set the stage for significant changes in North Carolina's May 8 primary. All Tar Heel voters will confront new district boundaries for Congress, the Statehouse and the N.C. Senate. And in Buncombe County, the commissioners will now also be chosen via district elections.
To help voters keep up with these changes, assistance is available both by phone and online:
• Call the Buncombe County Board of Elections 24/7 at 250-4200 and follow the recorded instructions to receive your individual voting overview. Or
• Go to the State Board of Elections’ Voter Lookup page (http://avl.mx/d2). Click on "My Election Information." Fill in the blanks and click "submit" to confirm your party status, precinct number and voting location. You can also view personalized sample ballots, depending on how you’re registered (Democratic, Libertarian, Republican or unaffiliated), that tell you which candidates will be on your ballot. Unaffiliated voters can choose any party’s ballot or a nonpartisan ballot containing only the proposed amendment to the state constitution (which appears on all of them).
When and where to vote
To vote in the primary, you must be registered. The registration deadline is Friday, April 13; after that, you can still take advantage of same-day registration during early voting.
In Buncombe County, early voting runs from Thursday, April 19, through Saturday, May 5. Polls are open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., except on April 5, when the hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
There are 11 early-voting locations this year:
• North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave.
• Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty St.
• South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road
• Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road
• West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road
• Biltmore Square Mall, 800 Brevard Road
• Buncombe County Training Center, 199 College St.
• Kenilworth Presbyterian Church, 139 Kenilworth Road
• Lutheran Church of the Nativity, 2425 Hendersonville Road
• Justice Athletic Center (UNCA), 1 University Heights
• Weaverville Town Hall, 30 S. Main St.
Voting on May 8 takes place at individual precincts throughout the county. To find out your precinct, or for information about absentee ballots or other voting issues, call Buncombe County Election Services at 250-4200.
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