Dare County election board sets municipal early-voting hours, approves new voting equipment

The Dare County Board of Elections on a unanimous vote adopted weekday early-voting hours for the November municipal elections and approved a resolution to purchase upgraded voting equipment, the board's director said.

The board unanimously approved a plan to operate two early-voting sites—the Board of Elections administrative office and Kill Devil Hills Town Hall—weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Thursday, Oct. 16, through Friday, Oct. 31. The board noted the 13-day early-voting period remains in effect and that required Saturday hours are unchanged.

“The county board of elections must be open during the normal business hours at a minimum,” Kelly McPherson, Dare County elections director, said during the discussion, and recommended aligning the Kill Devil Hills site with the BOE office 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. schedule for consistency and to serve most municipalities.

The board then took up a resolution to replace its aging election equipment using capital improvement plan funds provided by the county commissioners. The resolution—also adopted unanimously—authorizes the purchase of ExpressVote ADA-compliant voting units (ExpressVote 6.3), DS300 tabulator scanners (upgrading from DS200s), and a ballot-on-demand printer to be used at the office and at least one early-voting site.

McPherson said the county had been leasing Automark ADA machines for about $20,000 a year since 2019 and that the county previously used a workstation and Unity software that the state has required counties to replace. She told the board the upgrades provide faster tabulation, increased security options as approved by the state, and a ballot-on-demand system that prints retrievable voter-identification data directly on early-voting ballots.

“We were 1 of 14 counties that were using [Unity], and the state said you’ve got to get off of it,” McPherson said. She said the upgrades will bring the county’s equipment to “beginning of life” status and that staff expects about a 10-year service life for the new machines.

Board members emphasized testing and public demonstration opportunities. McPherson said the equipment will be tested in the office, and an L&A (logic and accuracy) test with public observation will follow prior to the election.

In other formal actions, the board elected Randy Feniger as board secretary, approved the meeting agenda and minutes, and tabled a housekeeping resolution delegating certain administrative duties to the director until the August meeting so new members can review it. The board also received the director’s report on candidate filings, a state-mandated voter registration review, a newly approved third full-time elections position, hiring timelines, and upcoming dates including L&A testing and the next meeting on Aug. 19.

Votes at a glance: • Motion to approve agenda — adopted (unanimous) • Motion to approve minutes — adopted (unanimous) • Election of Randy Feniger as board secretary — adopted (unanimous) • Motion to adopt Kill Devil Hills and BOE office early-voting weekday hours of 8:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m. from Oct. 16–Oct. 31 — adopted (unanimous) • Motion to approve resolution to purchase new voting equipment (ExpressVote 6.3, DS300 tabulators, ballot-on-demand system) — adopted (unanimous) • Motion to table delegation-of-duties resolution until August meeting — adopted (unanimous)

The board’s director told members staff will schedule and publicize L&A testing and that there will be at least two equipment test events: one in-house setup and a publicly watchable logic-and-accuracy test. McPherson also reviewed administrative items including that 27 candidates filed across six municipalities for the Nov. 4 municipal election, the state’s registration-repair project (county review of records missing HAVA-required ID information, due Aug. 15), and that the board was authorized a third full-time elections position; staff received about 15 applications and selected seven candidates for initial interviews scheduled July 23–31.

The meeting adjourned at 12:57 p.m.