The Forsyth County Board of Elections is meeting Tuesday to discuss a new voting plan. Members are weighing additional costs that are expected to follow a new state law that changes early voting hours.
The board is considering 10 to 12 early voting sites located in places like libraries and recreation centers.
Cost is a big factor here. That's because a new state law known as Senate Bill 325 extends weekday hours during early voting.
“And now that the law has changed to where it's making the hours more uniform, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the weekdays, you are looking at 12-hour days during the week, which is going to add to the number of staffing and their work hours,” says Tim Tsujii, director of the Forsyth County Board of Elections.
Local officials estimate it will take around $326,000 to have 12 sites, which includes coverage on at least two Saturdays.
“The board of elections, we have put in a request for a transfer of funding from the county commissioners,” says Tsujii. “There were funds that were reserved in the event if we had a second primary this summer, which we do not, and so we submitted a request to help with the expenses of early voting."
The Forsyth County Elections Board is made up of two Republicans and two Democrats.
Tsujii says they must have a unanimous decision about early voting sites by June 20th. If they don't, the state would create their own plan for the county.
Early voting in North Carolina begins October 17th and runs through Nov. 3.
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