Today is Election Day

Nov. 7—LENOIR — Today, Tuesday, Nov. 8, is Election Day for the 2022 statewide general election.

Polling places are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and the absentee ballot return deadline is 5 p.m.

If you are voting by mail and have not returned your ballot, you may mail your ballot back or return your ballot sealed inside a completed envelope in person to the Caldwell County Board of Elections by 5 p.m.

If you mail your ballot on or before Election Day, you may not vote again in person.

The last day for One-Stop early voting was Saturday, Nov. 5.

On Friday, Nov. 4, the Caldwell County Board of Elections reported that 54,147 residents have registered to vote.

Of that total, 26,329 (49%) voters are registered Republican, 10,047 (19%) voters are registered Democrat, and 17,391 (32%) voters are registered Unaffiliated.

Additionally, as of Monday afternoon (Nov. 7), 16,545 Caldwell County residents have reportedly voted during the One-Stop/Early Voting period.

"Early Voting has gone well at both locations this year," said Chad Barnes, director of the Caldwell County Board of Elections . "Our curbside voting at Lenoir has been extremely successful with adding a designated area for our Early Voting curbside officials so that they will be outside in the parking area to assist those who need it."

These numbers have already surpassed the early voting numbers from the previous midterm election.

According to the N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE), during the 2018 General Election, 15,755 Caldwell County residents voted during the One-Stop early voting period.

The State Board anticipates that the unofficial results reported by the end of election night will include about 99% of all ballots cast in North Carolina in the 2022 general election. The State Board will stop adding ballots to the totals on election night only after there are no additional ballots to count at that point.

Ballots that will be counted and reported by the end of election night include: all votes cast by voters during the One-Stop early voting period, excluding provisional ballots; all by-mail absentee votes received by the county boards of elections by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7; and all Election Day votes, excluding provisional ballots, which must be researched.

Ballots that will not be counted and added to unofficial results on election night include: properly signed and witnessed absentee ballots that are postmarked by Election Day and arrive in the mail by 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14; overseas and military absentee ballots that arrive by mail to the county board of elections by 5 p.m. Nov. 17; and all provisional ballots, which must be researched after the election to determine voter eligibility.

County boards of elections will add any eligible ballots from these categories to the results during the post-election canvass period.

Races on the 2022 ballot include: The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the N.C. General Assembly, state and local judges, district attorney, and county offices.

The Caldwell County Board of Elections office is located in the lower level of the Caldwell County Library, 120 Hospital Ave., and can be reached by calling 828-757-1342.

Voters who need assistance at the polls must request that assistance. Curbside voting is available for voters who are unable to enter the voting place without assistance due to age or disability.

Please note that N.C. voters are not required to show a photo ID to vote.

Visit the N.C. State Board of Elections website at www.ncsbe.gov or Caldwell County's website at www.caldwellcountync.org/elections for more information.

The following locations are polling places where county residents can vote:

— Gamewell: Gamewell Elementary School, 2904 Morganton Blvd, Lenoir

— Collettsville: Collettsville Fire Department, 5430 Adako Rd, Lenoir

— Kings Creek: Kings Creek School, 3680 Wilkesboro Blvd, Lenoir

— Oak Hill: Oak Hill Ruritan Club, 4607 Oak Hill School Rd, Lenoir

— Granite Falls: Shuford Recreation Center, 56 Pinewood Rd, Granite Falls

— Lower Creek: County Resource Center, 120 Hospital Ave, Lenoir

— Whitnel: Whitnel Elementary School, 1425 Berkley St SW, Lenoir

— Hibriten: Hibriten High School, 1350 Panther Trl, Lenoir

— Baton: Baton Elementary School, 1400 Baton School Rd, Granite Falls

— Cajah's Mountain: Cajah's Mountain Town Hall, 1800 Connelly Springs Rd, Lenoir

— Sawmills: Sawmills Fire Department, 4068 US Hwy 321A, Granite Falls

— Lenoir: Mulberry Recreation Center, 720 Mulberry St SW, Lenoir

— West Lenoir: West Lenoir Elementary School, 125 Maple Dr, Lenoir

— Freedman: Martin Luther King Recreation Center, 313 Greenhaven Dr

— Patterson: Happy Valley School, 1350 Yadkin River Rd, Lenoir

— Hudson: McCreary Family Recreation Center, 450 Redwood St, Hudson

— Grace Chapel: Grace Chapel Fire Department, 4548 Grace Chapel Rd, Granite Falls

— Dudley Shoals: Dudley Shoals Elementary School, 1500 Dudley Shoals Rd, Granite Falls