Havelock pushing for central voting site

Havelock officials have been pushing to make the Havelock Tourist and Event Center a central voting location for city residents, but that’s not going to happen for the 2012 election.

The city and Craven County Board of Elections have failed to come to an agreement on the use of the center as a voting location for the May primary and the November General Election.

Currently, the polling places in Havelock are the Moose Lodge for the Havelock East Precinct and Tucker Creek Middle School for Havelock’s West Precinct.

Havelock and elections officials have been negotiating since 2010 to switch the polling places to the tourist center. Election officials want a five-year guarantee to use the facility for elections, but the city has yet to agree to it.

Havelock first offered the county a discounted charge for renting the tourist center for elections but was turned down in January of 2011, with county officials saying relocation to the center was unnecessary and would be too costly.

The city later offered free use of the facility through a letter written by Havelock Mayor Jimmy Sanders in November.

"It is understood that the Craven County Board of Elections sought this opportunity last year but decided that relocating the polling locations was an undesired burden and cost at that particular time," Sanders wrote. "While such a change was not viable so close to the election season, perhaps now would be an ideal time to consider a change."

Erin Burridge, director of the Craven County Board of Elections, replied to the city in writing the next month, asking for the five-year guarantee.

Sanders responded in writing on Jan. 27, calling the Board of Elections’ response "an injustice to the Havelock citizens."

Burridge explained that much work is required to change a voting location. She said a public forum would be required as well as endorsement from Havelock and Craven County commissioners. Additional funding could be needed for the move as well.

"Once we were able to do all of those things, we would have to get permission from the North Carolina State Board of Elections to put both polling locations in one site because one would be out of precinct, and then we would have to get pre-clearance from the Department of Justice that would require proof that this sort of move would not create a hardship for the voters of either precinct," she said.

Burridge said if the move were to be approved, public notices would have to be mailed out to all of the nearly 10,000 registered voters in both precincts.

She said though the center would meet requirements for a polling location, the final decision would rest with the Board of Elections.

A 360-day notice is required to make any changes in polling locations, meaning Havelock’s two voting locations will remain the same for 2012.

The earliest the change could be made would be for the 2013 election, assuming both sides come to an agreement on the issue.