By Karen Martin
Reporter
kamartin@elkintribune.com


Did you register to vote in the general election? If not, starting yesterday, Oct. 16, One-Stop voting sites opened across the state. One-Stop voting allows citizens to register and vote on the same day.

In reports filed across North Carolina, response has been positive, and Susan Jerrell, the director of the board of elections in Surry County said a number of people have taken advantage of the opportunity, which saw 411 citizens come in at its Dobson office on Thursday.

"Any eligible voter in Surry county can go to any One-Stop voting site in the county to vote," said Jerrell.

However, there is still some confusion about the process.

"We've had several calls today from voters throughout the county who thought they had to wait until a site opened up in their township or area."

Jerrell explained that while a site in Elkin will open on Oct. 27 at the Elkin Rescue Squad, any Elkin resident who does not want to wait until then to take advantage of the One-Stop voting can come to Dobson.

That may not be the only area of confusion. Another might be the ballot itself. There are differences, such as the fact there are seven different ballots in Surry County. Depending on the area or township you live in, you will be given the matching ballot. For example, if you live in the Elkin township, your ballot will include the selection for Elkin school board candidates.

The one exception in Surry County this year is the fire tax proposal that is on the ballot for Pine Ridge.

"Residents of Pine Ridge cannot vote on the fire tax with the One-Stop voting," Jerrell said. "They must go to the polls on election day to vote on the fire tax."

That is not the only matter. Voting a straight ticket is not all it would appear to be.

"In North Carolina, presidential preference is a separate issue," Jerrell said. "Voting a straight ticket does not cast a vote for the presidential race, nor for non-partisan offices, such as judges."

Specifically, the box on the ballot which features the presidential candidates must be filled in. If it is left blank, then no vote for a president has occurred. The same holds true for non-partisan races. Each race must be filled in. For the remainder of the candidates, however, the straight-ticket is effective and all a voter has to do is check that category, rather than fill out each and every race.

Voter registration has increased significantly this year in Surry County. Board officials stated that in a general election year an increase of 2,000 would be a 'good response', but this year, Surry County has already seen an increase of 4,000 voters.

Robert and Bonnie Taylor were on their way back from Myrtle Beach on Thursday morning when the traffic they were a part of was stopped to allow the motorcade that was transporting vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin to pass.

"We thought that Palin's motorcade coming by would be a good indication of who to vote for," Robert Taylor said. "We hope we're voting for the winners this time."

The Taylor's made it known that what they said was tongue-in-cheek and not at all the reason they had decided to take the opportunity with the One-Stop voting opening today to cast their vote.

"We like to vote early and this time, we're one-stop shopping," Robert Taylor said. "We're getting our flu shot downstairs while we're here too."

The Taylor's spoke of their opinion of Wednesday night's debate between presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain.

"I was disappointed," Bonnie Taylor said. "I was expecting to hear more about the issues. The candidates just haven't spoken much about the issues in as much as what their individual plans are. I do think this last debate was much better than the first two were, though."

As in recent elections, stickers proclaiming a person has voted were handed to the Taylors. Bonnie Taylor proudly displayed hers, but Robert Taylor's sticker was nowhere in sight. However, he did not wear his sticker for a particular reason.

"I'm proud of voting and I'm going to wear my 'I voted' sticker to the square dance tonight," he said

About One-Stop voting


The One-Stop voting will continue Monday - Friday from 8:15 a.m. - 5 p.m. through Oct. 31 and will be open on Saturday, Nov. 1, from 8:15 - 1 p.m.

The Saturday prior to the Nov. 4 election will be the only Saturday voting day.

To vote in North Carolina you must:

* Be an United States citizen (by birth or naturalization)

* Be a resident of North Carolina and the county where you reside at least 30 days before an election

* Be 18-years-old by the next general election

* Not be registered in any other county or state, not vote in any other county or state

* Have your rights of citizenship restored, if you have been convicted of a felony.

For more information on the voting requirements and process in N.C., visit www.sboe.state.nc.us.

For information on Surry county elections, visit www.co.surry.nc.us.

Voting guides available


A voter guide is provided in primary and general elections, with information about the candidates' qualifications.

The N.C. Judicial Campaign Reform Act of 2002, changed how judges who sit on the N.C. Court of Appeals and Supreme Court are elected. The act took effect in 2004. Now elections of appellate court judges are non-partisan.

The League of Women Voters has produced a flier explaining the Public Campaign Financing Fund on the N.C. income tax form.

The flier encourages voters to understand that taxpayers who say 'Yes' on a check-off box on the N.C. income tax form are just transferring three dollars to the Fund; it does not change the amount of tax owed or refund due, if any.

Another source of money to the fund is the $50 that is contributed to the Fund when attorneys pay their privilege license tax. More information can be found at :

www.lwvnc.org.