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The state Board of Elections approved counties’ early voting plans for the November election along party lines, with its two Republican members objecting to what they called a rushed process.
Their objections reflect the state Republican Party criticism of the board moving to solidify early voting locations and hours months earlier than usual. Local boards of election were told to prepare their early voting plans by May rather than August.
“The process has been rushed this year,” said state Board member Kevin Lewis, one of the board’s two Republicans.
The state Board of Elections is facing a possible overhaul orchestrated by Republican legislators that critics say could result in deadlocked decisions on early voting plans. The changes would create situations in which disagreements over early voting plans would result in counties opening only one early voting site for limited hours.
Cooper sued over the law, and a three-judge panel struck it down. Republican legislators have appealed.
The state Board of Elections’ move to approve counties’ early voting plans earlier than usual may help keep expanded access for the November election.
State Republican Party Chairman Jason D. Simmons complained about the early call for plans in an April 16 open letter.
Shortly before Tuesday’s meeting, state Board members received memos and maps from a lawyer representing the Republican National Committee and the state Republican Party claiming that county early voting plans disadvantaged some voters who would have to drive farther than others to reach a polling site.
“This was a hurry-up process,” Republican Board member Stacy “Four” Eggers IV said. “They can all benefit from the additional time to see if there are additional sites available.”
Board members on Tuesday spoke of receiving 20 such memos.
Some of the local elections directors said that the early voting sites in their plans were locations they’ve used for years. They also talked about a lack of places that could be turned into polling places in certain parts of their counties.
“The letters were nicely written. They tell an incomplete story,” said Democratic state Board member Siobhan Millen of Raleigh. All the letters criticize locations, but have “very vague solutions,” she said. “To me, I’ll be honest, it looks like a Hail Mary pass to try to delay a decision today.”
The State Board used to do its own analysis of drive times but can’t anymore because it doesn’t have the staff, state Elections Director Karen Brinson Bell told the board. The NC Department of Information Technology has helped but they are “resource strapped” and couldn’t get the information in time.
Paul Cox, a state Board lawyer, said they’ve always struggled with drive-time analyses.
“There is no single formula to determine adequate sites,” he said. Site selection involves many factors, including whether the local board has access to desired locations and whether they provide enough space, he said.
The state Board needed to decide early voting plans for 11 counties where local board members could not come to unanimous decisions.
Often the disagreement was over Sunday voting hours. Republicans tend to want to limit or eliminate Sunday voting while Democrats support it.
Black churches organize “Souls to the Polls” for voters on Sundays after services.
Republicans say limiting or eliminating Sunday voting gives poll workers a much needed rest and provides a break from voting on a day of religious observances.
Supporters of early voting say not everyone goes to church on Sunday, and even people who do watch and attend sports events and enjoy plenty of non-religious activities afterward.
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