Buncombe County elections board approves six absentee and overseas ballots, signs required oaths

The Buncombe County Board of Elections voted to approve six absentee and overseas ballots presented at its Nov. 4 meeting and completed the required certification paperwork to send to the State Board of Elections.

Peggy Fox, elections staff, told the board she was presenting “2 civilian ballots and 4 overseas for a total of 6.” The office reported 29 absentee ballots received to date: 21 civilian and 8 overseas (0 military), and staff said the lists and certificates would be uploaded to the State Board’s records.

Why it matters: approving and certifying absentee and overseas ballots is a routine but necessary step to ensure ballots received before the legal deadline are scanned, stored and recorded properly ahead of election night reporting and submission to state oversight.

The board followed standard procedure: staff reviewed accompanying photo IDs, duplicate printouts, a checklist and the polybagging process for accepted ballots. After staff confirmed the materials, Chair Glenda Weiner moved to approve the ballots “as presented.” A board member seconded, multiple members voiced “aye,” and the chair declared the ballots approved.

Peggy Fox walked members through the next steps: sealing approved ballots in a blue polybag, placing duplicated ballots in a separate red bag, and returning signatures and checklists to staff so they could be stored in the safe and the executed certificates uploaded. Fox said the office would send three copies of the certificate of executed absentee ballots — separate certificates for military/overseas and civilian ballots — to the State Board.

At the meeting the chair administered the oaths required by county procedure. In the recorded oath Glenda Weiner read the certification language for military/overseas ballots and again for civilian absentee ballots; the office will file those signed certificates with the State Board.

Board members and staff emphasized records retention: “this is all gonna be uploaded to the state boards for their records showing what we've done so far,” Fox said.

Ending: With signatures collected and oath certificates executed, staff prepared the sealed polybags for safe storage and the board adjourned to reconvene the next morning for election‑day coverage.