NHC Board of Elections is gearing up for November

The November election is expected to draw a record number of voters. To make the voting process as smooth as possible, there will be more polling sites open for early voting, as well as more workers.

New Hanover County Board of Elections chair Margaret Haynes and her colleagues are getting ready for the masses come November.

“We always have very high turnouts in a presidential year and this is going to be no exception,” said Haynes.

The county is adding two early polling locations for a total of five. One of which will be in Carolina Beach.

Haynes said, “We’re trying to get something in the southern end of the county, so we hope we have this county covered.”

There are more than two million state and federal dollars available for more early voting locations and to help pay the workers.

Haynes said, “Probably twice as many people will be working, and the county has to pay for that.”

Counties can apply for the money in the form of grants. It will be distributed to counties that need it most.

A decision on which areas get the money will not be made until September.

“We feel very confident, you know you always sort of keep your fingers crossed and knock on wood, but we feel confident that have a good plan in place,” said Haynes.

Haynes says Democrats are mainly contributing to record turnout predictions, registering at an unusually high rate of 200 voters a week.

Republican registration has been slower.

To avoid lines, election officials hope all voters take advantage of the 17-day early voting period, which ends November first.

Pender County will have four early voting locations in November, and Brunswick County plans for eight.