Anyone who is eligible to vote in North Carolina is also eligible to vote using an absentee ballot and completing their voting by mail. I recently requested an absentee ballot. I was able to speak to someone in the Guilford County Board of Elections office who handles the absentee process. I was checking to be sure they had received my request because I had learned that the outside post office box at Friendly Center had been compromised in recent weeks. They are getting a lot of requests for absentee ballots.
The requests may be made now. The North Carolina Election Board link is: https://tinyurl.com/yadyzpm2. And this is the information specific to Guilford County: (336 )641-3836; ([email protected].)
To order your ballot go to: https://tinyurl.com/y9yeeeok.(This is what I used.) The ballots will mailed to the voter in September and then you have until just before the November election to return it. You must have someone over the age of 18 to witness your voting and signing your ballot. That person cannot be someone who is a candidate themselves and it cannot be someone who is an employee in a facility where you might live. It does NOT have to be witnessed by a Notary Public. The completed ballot must be delivered in person to the Board of Elections by Election Day or mailed and postmarked by Election Day. It requires only one Forever stamp to return the ballot. Also, once you send your ballot back, there is even a way to check using the Internet to make sure that they received your ballot and that it will be counted.
I don’t know about you all but I don’t want to have to risk standing in a long line on Election Day or even prior to Election Day during Early Voting not knowing what the health situation might be at that time. And I certainly want to vote.
Gertrude Beal
P.S. I recently renewed my Notary Public license and I am glad to help any NGFM member or attender. Just give me a call or e-mail me. M. Gertrude Beal, Guilford College, retiree, 336-299-8897 [email protected]