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March 28, 2024

Board of Elections sees early increase in absentee by mail ballot requests

The Alexander County Board of Elections is reporting an early increase in the requests for absentee by mail ballots for the 2020 General Election.

Patrick Wike, Elections Director, said the Board has received 518 ballot requests for General Election thus far (through Aug. 21).

“Our absentee request volume is 7 times greater compared to the same time in 2016,” said Wike.

Statewide, numbers are very high also. The total number of ballot requests received through Aug. 20, 2020, (75 days before election) was 333,553 which dwarfs the number of requests by the same time in 2016 (75 days before election), which was only 28,269.

In North Carolina, absentee by mail ballots are not automatically sent out to all registered voters. In order to receive an absentee ballot by mail, a voter must fill out an official state absentee ballot request form, available for download at ncsbe.gov or they can pick one up at the county board of elections office. Voters can also call the board of elections to request that a request form be mailed to them.

Counties begin mailing out balloting materials September 4.

“That will be a large mail out on all the requests received up until then,” said Wike. “After September 4th we will mail out ballots on a daily basis as requests continue to be submitted up until the October 27 deadline. Voters are encouraged to submit a request well before the October 27 deadline to allow adequate time through the USPS.

To request an absentee by mail ballot or for more election information, stop by the Elections office, 370 1st Avenue SW, Taylorsville, visit alexandercountync.gov/departments/board-of-elections or call 828-632-2990.

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