Board Meeting Agenda Packet 11-14-2023MEETING AGENDA
Date: November 14, 2023 Time: 5:30 PM
Location: Bd of Elections Office, Long Leaf Room Type: Regular
Scheduled Attendees:
Derrick R. Miller, Chair Rae Hunter-Havens, Director
James Battle Morgan, Jr. Secretary Caroline Dawkins, Deputy Director
Natalie Hinton-Stalling, Member Noelle Powers, Database & Systems Specialist
Bruce Kemp, Member Joan Geiszler-Ludlum, Administrative Technician
Tom S. Morris, Member Jessica O’Neill, Program & Outreach Coordinator
Visitor(s): Lisa Wurtzbacher, Assistant County Manager; Kemp Burpeau, Deputy County Attorney
AGENDA ITEMS
1.Meeting Openinga.Call to Order
b.Pledge of Allegiance
c.Approval of Agenda
2.Public Comment Period
•2-minute limit
•20-minute limit total
3.New Business
•2024 Primary Election Absentee One-Stop Implementation Plan
4.General Discussion
•Other Elections-Related Matters
5.Adjournment
*Agenda packets are sent via email in advance of meetings.
Regular Meeting
New Hanover County Board of Elections
November 14, 2023
Subject:
Approval of Agenda
Summary:
N/A
Board Action Required:
Staff recommends approval
Item # 1c
Regular Meeting
New Hanover County Board of Elections
November 14, 2023
Subject:
Public Comment Period
Summary:
This is an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments on elections-related matters.
Each commenter will be limited to two minutes. There is a limit of 20 minutes total for the public
comment period.
Board Action Required:
Discuss as necessary
Item # 2
Regular Meeting
New Hanover County Board of Elections
November 14, 2023
Subject:
2024 Primary Election Absentee One-Stop Implementation Plan
Applicable Statutes and/or Rules
N.C. Gen. Stat §§ 163-227.2(b), 163-227.2(h), and 163-227.6
Summary:
The New Hanover County Board of Elections must determine hours for the 2024 Primary Election
Absentee One-Stop Voting period. The deadline to submit the early voting plan to the NC State Board
of Elections is December 1, 2023. For all sites approved for one-stop voting, a county board of elections
must provide the following:
1.County boards of election shall conduct one-stop voting beginning on the third Thursday
before an election and ending on the last Saturday before the election.
2.Mandatory weekday hours for one-stop sites are 8:00 am - 7:30 pm during even-numbered
years.
3.Mandatory hours on the last Saturday before Election Day are 8:00 am – 3:00 pm.
The following uniform weekend and weekday requirements enacted in Session Law 2018-112 (Senate
Bill 325) are still in effect in even-numbered years:
•Weekday Uniform Hours – All additional one-stop sites (not the county office) must have the
same schedule. If the Board of Elections office is open for any hours outside of normal
business hours (except for the last Saturday), then the weekday uniform hours’ requirements
would apply to the Board of Elections office.
•Weekend Uniform Hours – If any one-stop site (including the county office) is open on a
Saturday or Sunday (excluding the last Saturday), then all one-stop sites must be open for the
same number of hours on that day. Sites may be open on one or both Sundays and sites may
be open for different hours on a weekend, provided the number of hours is the same.
•If Any Site, Then All Sites – Any day a one-stop site is open, all one-stop sites must be open on
that day.
At a minimum, the New Hanover County Board of Elections early voting office site located in the David
E.Paynter Room at the Northeast Library must be open during regular business hours (8:00 am – 5:00
pm). Any other schedule for this early voting location, or the inclusion of additional early voting sites,
requires the unanimous approval of a one-stop implementation plan that complies with the new
uniform weekday and weekend requirements.
If the county board is unable to reach unanimity regarding a one-stop plan, a member or members of
the board may petition the State Board to adopt a plan for it. If petitioned, the State Board may also
receive and consider an alternative petition from another member or members of the county board.
The State Board may also decide to adopt a different plan for New Hanover County as opposed to
adopting a specific plan submitted by a petitioner.
Item # 3
The proposed 2024 Primary Election One-Stop Implementation Pan includes four One-Stop “Early”
Voting Sites:
•NHC Northeast Library - David E. Paynter Room (NLB)
•NHC Senior Resource Center - Multipurpose (SRC)
•Carolina Beach Town Hall - Police Training Room (CAB)
•CFCC Health Sciences Building (CFCC).
Our proposed plan is based on optimally staffing all sites to provide maximum operational capacity at
each site. We have explored options at other locations in the county for use as potential one-stop
sites, including CFCC North Campus and the HHS Annex. During the 2022 elections, the board
authorized the use of CFCC North Campus as a one-stop site since we were not able to have a one-stop
site at the government center complex due to the renovation of the government center building.
However, voter turnout statistics and feedback indicate that voters still prefer to use our two largest
sites (NLB and SRC) instead of a site located at CFCC North Campus even if it results in longer wait
times. As a result, we are not recommending the use of CFCC North Campus for the 2024 Primary
Election. Regarding the HHS Annex, the building is comprised of several small rooms with adjoining
hallways, which presents both administrative and security concerns as it relates to the management of
a one-stop site at this location.
We will continue to explore options at other locations in the county for use as potential one-stop sites
as we prepare for the 2024 General Election in November. However, we believe that the proposed
plan with four one-stop sites is suitable to meet the expected voter turnout for the 2024 Primary
Election based on past voter trends.
Document/s Included:
2024 Primary Election Absentee One-Stop Implementation Plan: Proposed Sites, Schedule, and
Estimated Labor Costs; 2024 Primary Election Proposed One-Stop Sites Map; Absentee One-Stop
Voting Supplemental Statistics and Charts, Resolution to Adopt the 2024 Primary Election One-Stop
Implementation Plan (Provided at Board Meeting)
Board Action Required:
Discuss as necessary and action required
2024 Primary Election
Absentee One-Stop
Implementation Plan
Proposed Sites
NHC Board of Elections Office (Required)
NHC Northeast Library
David E. Paynter Room
1241 Military Cutoff Road
Wilmington, NC 28405
Exterior, Entrance, and Parking Entrance Curbside
Enclosure Exterior and Parking Interior Pathway
Cape Fear Community College
Health Sciences Building
Rooms L-112, L-110A
415 North 2nd Street, Building L
Wilmington, NC 28401
Exterior Entrance Outside of Enclosure
Enclosure Curbside Parking
NHC Senior Resource Center
Multipurpose Room
2222 South College Road
Wilmington, NC 28403
Exterior Entrance and Curbside Parking
Interior Curbside and Parking Exterior and Parking
Carolina Beach Town Hall
Police Training Room
1121 Lake Park Boulevard
Carolina Beach, North Carolina 28428
Exterior Entrance and Curbside Parking
Pathway Enclosure Exterior Entrance
2024 Primary Election
Absentee One-Stop
Implementation Plan
Proposed Schedule and Estimated Labor Costs
Schedule Location and
Times
Week # Days All Sites
Week 1 Thurs - Fri 8-7:30
Week 2
Mon - Fri 8-7:30
Sat 12-5
Sun 12-5
Week 3
Mon - Fri 8-7:30
Sat 8-3
Total Hours of Operation (4 Sites) 620
Estimated Costs (4 Sites) $128,812.00
Estimated Costs (NLB and SRC) $72,261.00
Estimated Costs (CFCC and CAB) $56,551.00
One-Stop Dates and Proposed Hours
Date Day Start Time End Time Hours Count
2/15/2024 Thursday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/16/2024 Friday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/17/2024 Saturday NA NA NA
2/18/2024 Sunday NA NA NA
2/19/2024 Monday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/20/2024 Tuesday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/21/2024 Wednesday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/22/2024 Thursday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/23/2024 Friday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/24/2024 Saturday 12:00 AM 5:00 PM 5.00
2/25/2024 Sunday 12:00 AM 5:00 PM 5.00
2/26/2024 Monday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/27/2024 Tuesday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/28/2024 Wednesday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
2/29/2024 Thursday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
3/1/2024 Friday 8:00 AM 7:30 PM 11.5
3/2/2024 Saturday 8:00 AM 3:00 PM 7.00
Total Hours Per Site 155
2024 Primary Election Proposed One-Stop “Early” Voting Sites
New Hanover County
NHC Northeast Library
CFCC Health Sciences Building
NHC Senior Resource Center
Carolina Beach Town Hall
VOTER TURNOUT STATISTICS IN
EVEN-NUMBERED ELECTIONS (2016-2022)
Ballots Cast by Election Date
Election Date Total Registered
Voters Total Ballots Cast Percent Voter
Turnout
3/15/2016 158,364 55,443 35.01%
11/8/2016 169,930 112,588 66.26%
5/8/2018 165,987 16,363 9.86%
11/6/2018 172,566 89,403 51.81%
3/3/2020 168,115 52,682 31.34%
11/3/2020 177,350 132,309 74.60%
5/17/2022 175,101 31,263 17.85%
11/08/2022 180,050 94,366 52.41%
One-Stop Ballots Cast by Election Date
2016 Primary Election 2016 General Election
Total Votes Cast 55,443 Total Votes Cast 112,588
Total One Stop 16,040 Total One Stop 70,733
% Vote at One Stop 28.93% % Vote at One Stop 62.82%
2018 Primary Election 2018 General Election
Total Votes Cast 16,363 Total Votes Cast 89,403
Total One Stop 5,568 Total One Stop 53,286
% Vote at One Stop 34.02% % Vote at One Stop 59.60%
2020 Primary Election 2020 General Election
Total Votes Cast 52,682 Total Votes Cast 132,309
Total One Stop 20,009 Total One Stop 87,418
% Vote at One Stop 37.98% % Vote at One Stop 66.07%
2022 Primary Election 2022 General Election
Total Votes Cast 31,263 Total Votes Cast 94,366
Total One Stop 12,903 Total One Stop 52,061
% Vote at One Stop 41.27% % Vote at One Stop 55.17%
PRIMARY ELECTION VOTES CAST BY ONE-STOP SITE (2016–2022)
1,589
870
7,492
3,241 2,845
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
8,000
CAB CFCC GVT NLB SRC
Vo
t
e
s
C
a
s
t
One-Stop Site
2016 Primary Election Votes Cast by One-Stop Site
Total
495 404
2,241
1,483
945
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
CAB CFCC GVT NLB SRC
Vo
t
e
s
C
a
s
t
One-Stop Site
2018 Primary Election Votes Cast by One-Stop Site
Total
PRIMARY ELECTION VOTES CAST BY ONE-STOP SITE (2016–2022)
2,337
1,424
6,351
5,276
4,621
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
7,000
CAB CFCC GVT NLB PVL
Vo
t
e
s
C
a
s
t
One-Stop Site
2020 Primary Election Votes Cast by One-Stop Site
Total
1,625
1,035 947
5,116
4,180
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
CB CFCC CFN NLB SRC
Vo
t
e
s
C
a
s
t
One-Stop Site
2022 Primary Election Votes Cast by One-Stop Site
Total
Regular Meeting
New Hanover County Board of Elections
November 14, 2023
Subject:
General Discussion
Summary:
This is an opportunity for discussion on other elections-related matters not included in the
meeting agenda.
Board Action Required:
Discuss as necessary
Item # 4