Voting Remains Brisk As Election Winds Down

Oct. 28--The early voting sites in Haywood County have been the place to be since Oct. 15.

Between the three sites at the Senior Resources Center in Waynesville, the Clyde town hall and the Canton library, more than >>>> voters have passed through the doors to cast a ballot.

That number, combined with the absentee-by-mail votes, ensures that nearly 55 percent of the existing voters in the county will have already cast a ballot before the 29 precinct locations will ever open. On Election Day, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Those voting early can show up at any of the early voting sites, but on Election Day, the only place an individual can vote is at their assign precinct.

Even though the adverse weather was heading into Haywood Wednesday in the wake of Hurricane Zeta, which was expected to make landfall in New Orleans that day, voting was still steady in Haywood.

Ann Simmons, the chief election judge at the Senior Resource Center in Waynesville said about 700 had cast a ballot before 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

That was almost the total number of votes cast at the site the previous day when the weather was balmy and beautiful, showing voting interest is keen despite rain.

What worried Haywood County Elections Director Robert Inman most Wednesday was the high wind forecast the following day when tropical storm speed winds were expected in Haywood.

A meeting loomed with the emergency management folks to plan contingencies in the event power was lost at any of the sites or the courthouse where the main server was housed.

The voting process

On any early voting day, there are between five and eight election officials working each site to help voters walk through the process.

One of the youngest who works at the Waynesville site is Emily Inman, 19, who has practically grown up with the electoral process since her father has had her tag along over the past 16 years as he oversees elections in the county.

This is the first time that she's been on the paid staff, though. As a Haywood Community College student, she has classes remotely between 7:30 and 10:30 each weekday, and then heads to the polling site where she works until closing at 7:30 p.m. Then it's on to homework and the cycle begins anew the next day.

"I've handled curbside, signed people in, walked people to the machines to get them set up for their precincts and helped direct them to where they insert their ballots," she said. "It's been a good experience. There are people my age just now getting out to vote and say they don't know what to do. They feel like a decision in the world is in their hands for the first time, and that can be intimidating."

Emily Inman, an experienced hand at elections by now, is glad to be there to help guide them through the process. It's not just young voters getting their feet wet in the process. She said she'd seen many voters between the age of 40 and 60 who are also voting for the first time ever.

Inside the voting enclosure, there was a steady stream of socially distanced voters waiting patiently to sign in and vote.

Among them was Riley Greene, 12, who accompanied his mother as she voted. He wasn't quite an old hand and the election issues, but had voted once before with his mom, Ivie, and also proudly cast a ballot for Trump during a mock election at school.

Ivie Greene said there wasn't a particular issue driving her vote this year -- voting was something she has always done.

Electioneering

As voters approach the polls, there generally a small group of people stationed at least 50 feet from the entrance who are holding signs or offering literature to would-be voters.

For the most part, voters seem to have their minds made up, many say, and while polite, decline a chance to talk about candidates or issues.

Ron Mahaley has been volunteering regularly to hold up a Kaleb Wingate for Judge sign at the Waynesville site.

"Things have been going smooth as glass," he said as he stood in the drizzling rain with sign upright. "Even with the rain, it's been steady. People run inside and then run to their car."

He recalled chatting with a 71 year-old who was voting for the first time ever this election.

"They said they were afraid of what was going on in America, but didn't say what that was," Mahaley said.

Ronnie Clark, a school board member who is seeking re-election, has most often been at the Canton library voting site, but changed it up Wednesday and came to Waynesville.

People who talk about school issues are mostly concerned about keeping their children in class, Clark said. What seems to be the biggest issue is families with several children on different schedules, he said.

"I've visited every school, and the teachers are going above and beyond at this time," Clark said. "They're not only juggling a split schedule, but some have their kids at home. I wish we could give them all a bonus."

Meribeth McKean has been a regular volunteer for the Democratic Party during the early voting period, which closes Saturday. She's driven to give of her time out of civic duty.

"I didn't want to feel like I hadn't done everything I could have done when this is all over," she said.

Debbie Ledford has been at the early voting site in Waynesville daily as she stumps for her daughter, Danya VanHook, who is running for a seat on the board of education.

Ledford confirmed not many voters showed an interest in stopping by to chat with those promoting a certain candidate.

"I think this group might look a bit intimidating," she said of those who regularly show up daily.

In addition to volunteers for both political parties, there have regularly been folks on site promoting Wingate, school board member and candidate Jim Harley Francis and herself, Ledford said.

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