[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6500694,"mediaKeyId","5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230","parentId",5550651,"title","Board approves municipal early-voting plan, staff reports filings and poll-worker nominations","audioSeconds",301,"startMs",5689000,"endMs",5990000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230&start=5689&end=5990","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230/thumbnail_5689000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6500694/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Board-approves-municipal-early-voting-plan-staff-reports-filings-and-poll-worker-nominations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500694-0cbbd514d86764c916306f02fa71d936/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558329&Signature=TDCwQ0Ss6A~qx9yPCjpGjC522M5Kev47TlGTU-YBA1mxTViTReTMXwC4FLHM4fftS3J9ePpN51tipf7~wsipPQ6IUul6h~gyVXomdZn-xLMQ6wYBSSOqQk8sB9f51uDEi1rFbI1iRXl~0EwsmChP4-tYPB5JS1OYWM-CJQ2RToGY9AL0Y1FLbPjXmmDvFukKmaZvIP-JZBOFgdUvxJT4sgrz8TsTlo6LnpJFo8vG3qiC8Jbjm4tvDVht3ErT-Veo-WPpmH8lSlglWJHncLAKWjWArFFNmycObKraH92SJwO39wWBGsyueJzZHk5mSsB9MOWr1IGfpeQLE7YCHQDzuQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Buncombe County, NC","date","2025-08-06T09:25:49Z","article","BUNCOMBE COUNTY — The Buncombe County Board of Elections unanimously approved a staff-proposed early-voting schedule for the 2025 municipal elections and heard related operational updates on candidate filings and poll-worker nominations.

Elections staff member Maggie presented the proposed municipal early-voting plan and explained the legal requirements for odd-year municipal elections. Under state parameters for odd-year municipal contests, the board must provide at least one early-voting in-lieu site that is open during normal business hours; Maggie proposed the in-lieu site in downtown and recommended Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. hours at the elections warehouse for the two-and-a-half-week early-voting period. The town of Weaverville requested an additional site to be open on the last Saturday of early voting; staff proposed opening the Weaverville Community Center from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. on that final Saturday to meet that request.

\"The Board of Elections office, or in-lieu site, must be open during normal business hours, Monday through Friday at minimum,\" Maggie said while outlining the plan. Board members discussed turnout expectations and the economics of providing additional sites; staff said municipal turnout historically concentrates on election day in these jurisdictions, so the proposal meets minimum statutory requirements while adding the requested Saturday Weaverville location.

Board member motioned and seconded approval of the staff plan; the board approved the early-voting schedule by unanimous voice vote.

Staff also reported candidate-filing and poll-worker nomination numbers. Corinne Duncan said candidate filing for municipal races was complete and that staff received 17 filings across Weaverville mayor, Weaverville town council, Woodfin town council, and Woodfin water and sewer races. On poll-worker nominations, Duncan reported that Republican party chairs submitted 90 names while Democratic chairs submitted 330 names; the board discussed parity among party appointments and asked staff to circulate the party-nomination lists in advance of the board’s appointment vote on the nineteenth.

Duncan also provided a voter-registration snapshot for the county: 209,620 registered voters total, with 71,356 registered Democrats, 44,632 registered Republicans and 91,092 unaffiliated voters.

Ending: Staff said it will return with a fuller early-voting presentation for the primary at an August meeting and will post a public input period before the board takes final action on any expanded early-voting plan. The municipal early-voting schedule approved at this meeting will be posted and implemented for the upcoming municipal election.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Elections Meeting: Aug. 5, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Buncombe County Board of Elections unanimously approved a staff proposal for the municipal early-voting schedule, heard an update that 17 candidates filed for municipal offices in Weaverville and Woodfin, and received precinct judge nomination totals: 330 Democrats, 90 Republicans.","taxTitle","Buncombe County, North Carolina","taxId",3914,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500698,"State registration-repair work reduces Buncombe County list of voters missing ID numbers",103,1448000,1551000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230&start=1448&end=1551","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230/thumbnail_1448000.jpg","/articles/6500698/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/State-registration-repair-work-reduces-Buncombe-County-list-of-voters-missing-ID-numbers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500698-afec962008cec006d8b6d05aff1786fa/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558329&Signature=JJNGzL2ozwoys6EeeXddnD-vacVHbp5JiphTI0WDD9kBTaBOIq78ZJvZgF3pV1ASErMauEzGvmxdPoCTKX~8CZV8rvM~Ow802tVy2HgGM-IJJz~QnQYuiG9yIWK0HcXjgvAiXA0dthxHDf4b5r8esBNznoQGjRKWtDChcBqZGLx2SWgfwFydpzeAq0CmZMivHTjYI70IipRBBhy0vK9oD1824RmMBOARtE18YqlWPYKCfEb0lBxTGxzKwNjB440Cl5GSAjIoy1Z~-72xNCwhVZUFyYnmg5Fic~5OtATBx~wf9hE72JLLByf8-1zwTD4rGSutZG8vDyCiU8PCMGTenw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BUNCOMBE COUNTY — Buncombe County elections staff reported progress on a statewide registration-repair effort the North Carolina State Board of Elections initiated to locate missing driver's license or partial Social Security number data for certain voter records.

Amy, an elections staff member, told the board the state provided a memo instructing counties to search records for voters who lack a driver's license number and who did not check an \"I do not have that ID\" box on their original registration, and who are not exempt because they registered before February 2004. The state’s multi-stage process requires county record review first; the counties' work is expected to continue through a deadlines phase in August.

\"Originally, statewide, the numbers were just over a 103,000 voters,\" Amy said. \"Now as of [the afternoon snapshot], the work is continuously happening, so it's changing by the minute. We now have 90,185 voters that are on the list.\" She added that Buncombe County started with 2,087 records on the list and that the county’s snapshot that afternoon showed 1,662 remaining, representing roughly 80% completion of local record review.

Amy explained that county staff are searching historical archives and paper records for identifying numbers that were not digitized when records were originally entered. For those records that remain missing after review, the state plans to send up to three mailings (dates to be announced) to give voters an opportunity to update their records.

Board members asked about the state's broader IT work. Duncan said the state has discussed a long-term replacement of the voter-registration system; the figure of $15 million was mentioned during the meeting as a budget request for a new system, but staff said implementation details and timeline remain unclear.

Ending: Staff said Buncombe County would continue record review through mid-August, cooperate with state mailings for those whose records remain incomplete, and report further progress to the board.","Staff updated the board on the state-led registration-repair project. Buncombe County started with 2,087 affected records and reduced that to 1,662 through record review; statewide totals fell from about 103,000 to about 90,185 during the same period.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500703,"Board presses county for public briefing on warehouse plan after storage concerns",246,3600000,3846000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230&start=3600&end=3846","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6500703/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Board-presses-county-for-public-briefing-on-warehouse-plan-after-storage-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500703-286d6f28485ea74f84a258f2dd1762e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558329&Signature=mIy~ZSM9LhMrVuA2CQkuY3qt-rjT9McxFbBrs0OUwgtSuVY5ieuP0uHYnR6w~oXuRW2Gtit7dpJ3CAeKbog-c2p7WxuY9I~7Y7tEvMlwKueUvcx4z1~AZeVsa-1Pra-gjYtOlI-V6hM8Da9rLKFIu-5zKSfWNgvfebnPo2xbHqszXMzY0VNvolp3Vgnl5F-GdW8ym04v5E0cRB3CD2wOQGcynZLW2Y6SCNiWpVP1YKla~SssWAWRJzIjRqIYkeEIDdJLvW3ncR1sFxfLjGI4zJFgMCa7RzwgpXCFnG8Pn2445olzw3IMgPtFp9YVyUW~C8wdbXY8bsd9yOEgltqVIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BUNCOMBE COUNTY — Board of Elections members told county staff they want the board at the table as the county develops a temporary warehouse plan to relocate elections equipment while a county-owned site at 50 Cox Avenue is demolished for affordable housing.

Executive Director Corinne Duncan said the county informed the elections office that the current warehouse site is slated for redevelopment and that a temporary site will be needed between demolition of the current building and completion of a planned replacement facility on Canute Lane. The county’s projected timeline calls for groundbreaking on the housing project around 2027, Duncan said.

Board members said they had already shared storage and operational requirements with county staff, but they argued that discussions to date had been largely staff-to-staff and that the board itself must be engaged in public sessions. Members repeatedly stressed the sensitivity and value of the equipment and materials stored in the warehouse: \"These are our machines. They're millions of dollars worth of machines,\" one member said.

Members raised two principal concerns. First, they objected to a proposed temporary site on Riverside Drive, which staff acknowledged is in a floodplain. \"In a flood area. Does not make sense,\" a board member said, noting the risk to equipment and election records. Second, members questioned the county’s timeline and the operational disruption of multiple moves; several said they do not want elections operations disrupted.

Board members directed staff to request that county representatives present the warehouse plan and alternatives in a public meeting. The board set aside a September meeting to receive the county’s presentation, to provide the board’s storage requirements (square footage, staffing, security) in writing, and to discuss next steps. Members signaled they may seek outside counsel if needed to protect the board’s operational needs.

Duncan said county staff (represented in discussion by Tim Love and other county contacts) had been searching for interim locations for months; board members said they want those searches and plans shared directly with the board so the board can evaluate alternatives and ensure continuity of election operations.

Ending: The board asked staff to schedule a public briefing with county officials in September and to circulate a written list of elections storage and operational requirements before that meeting.","Board members asked Buncombe County officials to present a public plan for temporary warehouse space after the county proposed moving elections equipment during a multi-year building schedule; members raised flood-risk and machine-security concerns and set a September meeting to review county plans.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6500708,"Buncombe elections staff seeks clearer municipal billing, board weighs outside counsel",143,2033000,2176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230&start=2033&end=2176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5550651-21f3c23b6ff5e225d4555ae6a67fc230/thumbnail_2033000.jpg","/articles/6500708/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Buncombe-elections-staff-seeks-clearer-municipal-billing-board-weighs-outside-counsel","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6500708-0a58b327b0473fb5c17206a5d96b198b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773558329&Signature=f3Yqp9vihhGKdCrSkO9MWzOdtt-aPJ2eNJSTr9a82zauZG16L4-Rp1bmD2OC3lfV2CD~G6rCQaVthMCut7Dif6SR1B-qmuVZNQMvKX4wSh50zinza1GoqPOfMy-SZ1vNi8vfkFbZKjgO1EfIKHQTR4ctGPQLeSPIPeOzeJQFiq7OMkigf0aejTseKucMXTV29X-DfPZ1Pe386kxoGMR6ODASQtssYE6JDG~nxedeA-JykKxccP~m7HYP4BS-MmR76fB9vzVziMBvwQ-TiiX60BGG1SjN7-H72YnuKbaS7XFNUcsOGpvmZwWmbjBpKyrmY99FnQJA8Uoglk~AoYyTBg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BUNCOMBE COUNTY — Buncombe County Board of Elections staff presented a new billing model and draft memorandum of understanding designed to clarify how municipalities will be charged for registration and election services, prompting board members to debate legal review and the possibility of hiring outside counsel.

The issue matters because state law requires municipalities to reimburse boards of elections for the cost of conducting municipal elections, and changes in some municipalities’ primary years have complicated how those costs are identified and billed, Corinne Duncan, executive director of the Buncombe County Board of Elections, told the board.

Duncan said the county’s shift of some municipal primaries into years shared with partisan primaries has made it difficult for staff to separate municipal-only costs from countywide election costs. The new model aims to produce regular estimates, incorporate registration work into municipal billing, and create a clearer agreement so municipalities know when to notify the elections office about annexations, vacancies and other items that affect costs.

Board members discussed how to proceed with legal review. Some members said the county attorney’s office has been supportive but that, because the Board of Elections and municipalities are separate legal parties, it would be appropriate to consider outside counsel who would represent the board’s independent interests.

\"Sometimes it's just better to have an attorney write out the details about how you're going to proceed and that sort of gives you a really good guideline,\" said a board member during the discussion. Several members suggested having a local attorney available as \"someone in the wings\" rather than immediately engaging counsel for every step.

Board members named two possible outside-law options for initial outreach: the Charlotte firm Tharrington Smith (represented previously to the board) and a local attorney, Beau Carpenter, who formerly served on the board; staff said they would reach out and circulate engagement letters or letters of interest for board review.

Duncan said the elections office had provided the draft MOU and billing model to the county attorney for review and recommended the board consider scheduling a public presentation of the proposal with municipal officials present. Several board members supported that approach: they asked staff to invite municipal leaders and to present the draft to the full board in September so municipalities would understand the timeline and have an opportunity to give feedback before any billing is finalized.

Board members also questioned whether the board must use the county attorney for this work and whether the board’s limited budget could support outside counsel. One board member said a small retainer or having counsel on call would provide flexibility; another member urged caution because the board has other spending priorities.

Next steps the board directed staff to take: finalize the draft MOU and billing presentation, invite municipal officials to a public meeting in September for the full presentation, and circulate information about potential outside attorneys (including any engagement letters) ahead of a separate board discussion about retaining outside counsel.

The board did not take a final vote on billing policy or hire counsel during the meeting; members set follow-up meetings in September to review the MOU, potential counsel, and municipal feedback.

Ending: Staff said they will bring the revised MOU and billing presentation to a September meeting and circulate materials about outside counsel before the board votes on any legal engagement.","Buncombe County elections staff presented a new municipal-billing model and a revised memorandum of understanding for cities; board members debated whether to use the county attorney or hire outside counsel and asked staff to invite municipalities to a September presentation.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves municipal early-voting plan, staff reports filings and poll-worker nominations

State registration-repair work reduces Buncombe County list of voters missing ID numbers

Board presses county for public briefing on warehouse plan after storage concerns

Buncombe elections staff seeks clearer municipal billing, board weighs outside counsel