Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
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2 OCT 29 - NOV 4, 2014 ELECTION GUIDE 2014 For more than a year, candidates have worked the campaign trail getting out to the people of North Carolina. On Tues- day, Nov. 4, voters will decide whose messages resonated with them when they head to the polls to let their voices be heard. To help you make your decision, Up & Coming Weekly, reached out to all candi- dates, giving each candidate 500 words to let you know why you should vote for them. In the following pages, you will find their responses. Voting Law Changes But before you head to the polls, there is some important information you need to keep in mind. Since Oct. 23, many North Carolinians have taken advantage of one stop early voting; the last day to take advantage of early voting is on Saturday, Nov. 1. Voting ends at 1 p.m. On Tuesday, Nov. 4, polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m. All absentee ballots must be returned by 5 p.m. on Nov. 4. Proper Precinct Voting If you are casting your vote on Election Day, you must do so at your assigned polling place, which is based on your residential address as of Oct. 5. Limited exceptions apply to voters who have moved within the same county and have not yet updated their voter registration. If you are not sure where your as- signed polling place is, visit the Board of Elections website at www.ncsbe.gov or visit the Cumberland County Board of Elections Office. No Same Day Registration Persons who are not registered to vote in a county can no longer REGISTER to vote in person during the one-stop early voting period. Same day REGISTRA- TION is no longer an option. Qualified persons wanting to vote in an election must register to vote no later than 25 days before the date of the election (Friday, Oct. 10). Provisional Voting Some voters whose polling places are in question may be offered a provisional ballot. If that happens, an election of- ficial will mark the ballot as provisional. If it is placed into the voting equipment, it will be removed. Voting for Persons In Care Facilities Multipartisan Assistance Teams are available to assist voters living in hos- pitals, clinics, nursing homes and rest homes with mail-in absentee voting, if the voter does not have a near relative or guardian available to help. Voter Challenges On the day of a primary or election, any registered voter of the same county has the right to challenge the right to vote of any registered voter who pres- ents to vote. Election Day challenges are no longer limited to voters who reside in the same pre- cinct. (Challenges of absentee voting, including voters at one- stop early voting sites, still may only be made by a voter of the same precinct as the challenged voter.) Issues at Voting Sites Any issue or complaint relat- ing to a voting site should first be brought to the atten- tion of the polling place's Chief Judge (or, in the case of a one-stop early voting site, staff or manager of the voting site). If the issue cannot be resolved by the election official at the voting site, con- tact the local County Board of Elections Office. Photo ID Requirements Effective Jan. 1, 2016, North Carolina voters will need to show a photo ID when voting in person. Acceptable types of ID for voting purposes are: • Unexpired North Carolina drivers license, learners' permit, provi- sional license or non-operators identification card. • Unexpired United States Pass- port. • United States military identifica- tion card. • Veterans Identification Card • Tribal enrollment card issued by a federally or North Carolina recognized tribe. • Unexpired out-of-state drivers license or non-operators ID care (may only show if you initially register within 90 days of election day.) Voters who have a religious objec- tion to being photographed must sign a declaration stating this objection before an election official at least 25 days before the date of the election. Contact your county board of election for more details on ID requirements in North Carolina. ELECTION 2014: YOU DECIDE Invest In Advertising Opportunities We can show you how to market your business! 910.484.6200 www.upandcomingweekly.com