{"id":8609,"date":"2011-09-15T17:00:21","date_gmt":"2011-09-15T21:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.raleighpublicrecord.org\/?p=8609"},"modified":"2011-09-15T16:31:40","modified_gmt":"2011-09-15T20:31:40","slug":"caution-elections-may-cause-confusion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/voter-guide-2011\/2011\/09\/15\/caution-elections-may-cause-confusion\/","title":{"rendered":"Caution: Elections May Cause Confusion"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether voters prefer the excitement of standing in line on Election Day or would rather vote ahead of
\nthe crowds, casting a ballot is so easy, a 17-year-old could do it.<\/p>\n

But this year, many voters are going to be confused about which elections they can vote in and for which races, said Gary Sims, deputy director of the Wake County Board of Elections. Some Wake County residents will vote Oct. 11. Some will vote Nov. 8. And some people won\u2019t have an election to vote in at all this year.<\/p>\n

According to Sims, most of the confusion is caused by different election dates and races. Candidates on the ballots this year are either city or town leaders or school board members. Some ballots will have both.<\/p>\n

Another part of the problem is the redistricting that took place as a result of last year\u2019s census \u2014 some voters may have changed districts without realizing it.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes people are confused in what district they\u2019re eligible to vote. Some people will not have an election whatsoever,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s very understandable.\u201d Sims explained, for example, that a person may have a Raleigh address, but her home might not technically sit inside city limits.<\/p>\n

In that case, she wouldn\u2019t see any city or town council candidates on her ballot.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat would be a perfect example of how people get confused,\u201d he said. \u201cThe only thing you may see on your ballot is a school board election.\u201d<\/p>\n

But not all of the school board districts are up for reelection this year \u2014 only Districts 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8. Those who live outside city or town limits in School Board Districts 1, 7 or 9 will not vote at all.<\/p>\n

And while Raleigh voters go to the polls Oct. 11, other Wake County municipalities vote Nov. 8. If the October election results in a runoff, some voters will be asked to visit the polls twice.<\/p>\n

Sims\u2019 advice? Check the State Board of Elections<\/a> website to find out whether you need to vote and when.<\/p>\n

For those whose districts have elections this year, there are multiple options for voting by mail or in person \u2014 early, or on election day itself. But no matter how you vote, just do it, said Damon Circosta, executive director of the North Carolina Center for Voter Education.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of things about living in a democracy is we always talk about the expectations we have for our government, but the government is us,\u201d Circosta said. \u201cWe have to make sure we\u2019re providing effective oversight to our elected officials by voting and staying informed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many people feel as though their vote doesn\u2019t count, Circosta said, but that\u2019s not true.<\/p>\n

\u201cEspecially in municipal elections, your vote has a tremendous impact,\u201d he said. \u201cVoting is one of the most important things we do in civil society.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some voters complain about long lines on Election Day, but they have fewer excuses for not voting,
\nsince the advent of early voting in 2000.<\/p>\n

According to the Board of Elections\u2019 Gary Sims, early turnout for municipal elections like this year\u2019s are typically lower. Only 2,106 people voted early in the 2009 October election.<\/p>\n

In contrast, more than 251,000 people cast ballots at one of the 15 early voting sites in the 2008 general election.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely the best way,\u201d Sims said.<\/p>\n

But Sims acknowledges there might be an even better way to vote \u2014 absentee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere, all it will cost you is postage to send it in,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Absentee is the least popular option \u201cbut it is very routinely used by certain people,\u201d Sims said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s one of those things; once people start voting absentee by mail, they do it more frequently.\u201d<\/p>\n

Voters who will be out of the country, or who would rather just vote from the comfort of home can request an absentee ballot without a reason. But that voter or a near relative must provide a signed letter either in person or by mail \u2014 not email \u2014 to the Board of Elections.<\/p>\n

Of course, voters can visit the polls on Election Day Oct. 11. For some, like Circosta, that\u2019s the fun way to vote.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a voting nerd,\u201d he said. \u201cTo me voting is like the prom; I like to get down to my precinct on Election Day to the extent I can.”<\/p>\n

How to Vote<\/strong>
\nNot registered? It\u2019s possible to register and vote the same day as part of Early Voting.
\n
\n<\/strong>Early Voting
\nEarly voting for the October election: Sept. 22 \u2014 1 p.m. Oct. 8<\/p>\n

Wake County locations:
\nWake County Board of Elections, 337 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh
\nSept. 22\u201323 (Th, F) \u2014 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
\nSept. 26\u2013Oct. 7 (M-F) \u2014 8:30 a.m.\u20135 p.m.
\nSat. Oct. 8 \u2014 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

Herbert C. Young Community Center, 101 Wilkinson Ave., Cary
\nOct. 5\u20137 (W-F) \u2014 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
\nSat. Oct. 8 \u2014 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.<\/p>\n

Election Day Voting
\nPolls open: 6:30 a.m. \u2014 7:30 p.m.
\nFind local polling places at on the Board of Elections<\/a> website<\/p>\n

Absentee Voting
\nBallot request letters are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 4. No emails accepted.
\nThe letter must include:
\n\u2022 Request Statement (\u201cI am requesting an absentee ballot for the _______ Election.\u201d)
\n\u2022 Name of voter
\n\u2022 Residential address of voter
\n\u2022 Address where ballot should be mailed (if different from residential address)
\n\u2022 Date of birth of voter
\n\u2022 Telephone number
\n\u2022 Signature of voter or near relative (indicate relationship with voter)
\nAttach postage to the ballot and return it by Election Day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Whether voters prefer the excitement of standing in line on Election Day or would rather vote ahead of the crowds, casting a ballot is so easy, a 17-year-old could do it. But this year, many voters are going to be confused about which elections they can vote in and for which races, said Gary Sims, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24025,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[378],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8609"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24025"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8609"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8609\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theraleighcommons.org\/raleighpublicrecord\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}