Buncombe elections staff proposes 10-site early voting plan and public survey ahead of 2026 primary

Elections staff presented a proposed early voting implementation plan for the 2026 primary that would open 10 early-voting sites, keep statewide mandated weekday hours and ask the Board to pick a single weekend (the second weekend) for supplemental weekend hours.

The plan, presented by elections staff member Maggie, proposes weekday hours of 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. across all sites (the state requirement), weekend hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second weekend and the last Saturday open 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maggie said the office will open a public input survey the morning after the meeting and planned an October review timeline leading to a proposed final vote on Oct. 14.

Why it matters: the county must set a uniform schedule that conforms to state rules and the Board’s unanimous decision is required; if the Board cannot unanimously decide, the county must send its proposals to the State Board of Elections for a final determination.

Details of the proposal and staff reasoning

Maggie told the Board the office is proposing 10 sites for the primary, a scheme that staff said balances voter convenience, site sustainability (ADA compliance, parking and square footage), staff and equipment capacity, and budget limits. She said the county has in prior primaries opened as few as eight and as many as 11 sites depending on the election type and budget.

On timing, staff proposed not opening the first weekend (the weekend that includes Valentine’s Day and Presidents Day) so the office can “reality-check” operations after the first days of voting. Maggie said the office will open a public survey at 8 a.m. the morning after the meeting and keep it open through Sept. 26 so the public can recommend site locations or provide leads for potential facilities in areas such as North Asheville.

On site selection, staff presented a voter-density map and historical turnout trends, noting that turnout in primaries typically concentrates later in the early-voting period and spikes on the final Saturday. Maggie highlighted past efforts to reach corners of the county (Barnesville, Fairview, Lester, Upper Hominy) but said some sites have been unavailable for multi-day use (for example, fire stations needed for emergency response in 2024).

Inclement weather and operations

Staff proposed continuing to follow the county’s existing resolution for weather-related closures: if county public offices or libraries close because of weather, early-voting sites will follow that directive and the county will broadcast delays or closures through its communications channels. Maggie said this is the same approach the Board adopted in 2024 and it provides clear guidance for poll workers and voters.

Timeline and next steps

Maggie said the Board does not need to vote at this meeting; the timeline she proposed is: • Survey opens to the public at 8 a.m. the day after this meeting and closes Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. • The Board will review public feedback at its Oct. 7 meeting. • Staff will bring a final plan for Board action Oct. 14 (the date is flexible, Maggie said).

Maggie urged the Board to consider gaps in geographic coverage when choosing sites and to provide leads for potential North Asheville locations; she said the county will default to the North Asheville library if no better site becomes available.

Ending

Staff will collect survey feedback, research candidate sites (including AB Tech/Inka and churches that can commit multiweek use), and return to the Board with a site list and public comments in October. The Board asked staff to produce a short list of options and maps ahead of the October meetings.