WS Chronicle

By Howard Pearre

As we near Election Day this year, the main question on most seniors’ minds other than who will get our votes, is how we will vote. 

With COVID-19 continuing to ravage the country, an essential question most of us are asking ourselves is: do we plan to vote in person and risk exposure to the virus, or vote by absentee ballot to avoid possible exposure? And, in light of possible problems with the post office, if we make the safe choice and vote absentee, will our ballots actually make it to the elections board in time to be counted? 

Here are some points to consider about absentee voting as we weigh our options and the possible consequences:

1. In North Carolina, any registered voter is allowed to use the absentee ballot system without needing an excuse or reason. You don’t have to be out of the country or even out of town.  It’s just a choice.  

The official Absentee Ballot Request form is available online at the N.C. State Board of Elections’ website (NCSBE.gov). If you have a computer and a printer, you can print out the form and instructions. If not, you can call the Forsyth County Board of Elections at 336-703-2800 and ask that a form be mailed to you. Your request can be made now, but it must be received by the county board of elections office no later than 5 p.m. Oct. 27. The board of elections will begin sending absentee ballots to voters who requested them starting Sept. 4. 

2. If you request and receive an absentee ballot but don’t send it in, you can change your mind. You can still vote in person on Election Day at your assigned precinct or at an early-voting site. You would simply destroy the absentee ballot that was sent to you. But once you send in an absentee ballot, it will be counted and you won’t be able to change your mind.

3. If you decide to go ahead and send in the absentee ballot, you can check to make sure it was received and counted after several days. Do a Google search for NC VOTER LOOKUP and click VOTER SEARCH.  That will take you to an on-line State Board of Elections form. Usually all that is required is to fill in your first and last name to get a list of those names and their cities. Clicking on the one that matches your information will produce your voting data including your voting place, your party affiliation, the various jurisdictions you are in, etc.  

Click on VOTING HISTORY. This won’t tell you who you voted for, but will say if you voted in a specific primary or election. Several days after you send in your absentee ballot, your voting history should indicate that you have voted in the 2020 General Election, even though Election Day, Nov. 3, may still be weeks away.

When you receive your ballot, it will come with an official envelope and instructions. In the presence of a witness, indicate your choices on the ballot and sign it. The witness only has to attest it was you who completed the ballot. They shouldn’t see your selections. This year, only one witness is required to sign the ballot envelope. He or she must be at least 18 years old and can be your spouse.  

You can return the ballot by mail, hand deliver it to one of the early voting sites, or take it to the Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Election Day. Mailing the ballot will require one first class stamp.  

4. Finally, the most obvious point is that absentee ballots should be sent to the board of elections as soon as possible. With reports about possible mail delays, putting this off could be playing into the hands of those who would be just as happy if we simply don’t vote by any method.

Exercise your Constitutional right – vote!

Howard Pearre conducts training sessions for volunteers to assist with voter registration. He is a member of Winston-Salem Writers and recently received an honorable mention for his short story, “September, 1957,” at the 2020 International Human Rights Arts Festival.