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Primary day is Tuesday, May 6, with polls opening at 6:30 a.m. Though turnout is typically low during primaries, there are several races across Western North Carolina where the primary will decide the ultimate winner.

Click through to find Carolina Public Press’s guide to your county’s federal, state and regional-level candidates. And see below for more answers to commonly asked questions about the election across Western North Carolina.

Avery County
Buncombe County
Cherokee County
Clay County
Graham County
Haywood County
Henderson County
Jackson County
Macon County
Madison County
McDowell County
Mitchell County
Polk County
Rutherford County
Swain County
Transylvania County
Watauga County
Yancey County


Have more questions? Here are some answers to some FAQs:

Do I need an ID on Tuesday?

Here’s what the State Board of Elections says:

Beginning in 2016, North Carolina will require voters to show a photo identification (photo ID) when they present to vote in person. This change is a result of the Voter Information Verification Act or “VIVA.” (S.L. 2013-381). Until 2016, most voters will not be required to show any form of identification when they vote.

Where do I vote?

Click here to go to the N.C. State Board of Elections website and find your polling location.
Click here to go to the N.C. State Board of Elections website and find your polling location.

How do I register?

The deadline to register to vote has passed for Primary Day. But it isn’t too late to register for the General Election, which will be held in November. Here’s more from the State Board of Elections:

The deadline to register to vote in this state is 25 days before the day of the election. Forms that are received by the county board of elections office or postmarked by the deadline are accepted as valid applications for the upcoming election. Also, agency and DMV voter registration transactions that are completed by the deadline are accepted as valid for the upcoming election. Applicants will be notified by the county board of elections of their precinct and polling place assignments.

Click here download and print a fillable North Carolina voter registration application. Once completed, the application should be printed, signed and then mailed to the county board of elections in the county where the applicant resides.

In addition to the printable voter registration application accessible on this website, voter registration applications are available at the following locations:

  • NC State Board of Elections
  • County Boards of Elections
  • Public libraries
  • Public high schools or college admissions offices.

Further, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) requires certain agencies in this state to offer voter registration services when at these locations for agency services. These agencies include are:

  • North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NC DMV)
  • Public Assistance Agencies
    • Departments of Social Services (DSS)
    • Departments of Public Health (WIC)
  • Disability Services Agencies
    • Vocational Rehabilitation offices
    • Departments of Services for the Blind
    • Departments of Services for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
    • Departments of Mental Health Services
  • Employment Security Commission (ESC)

How many people are eligible to vote in WNC?

Here are the latest voter statistics, as reported on May 5, 2014, by the N.C. State Board of Elections

CountyDemocratsRepublicansLibertariansUnaffiliatedWhiteBlackAmerican
Indian
OtherHispanicMaleFemaleTotal
AVERY1,5907,296343,18011,70510229264665,6356,38012,100
BUNCOMBE75,41747,26788960,509162,95911,0393829,7022,00983,26897,979184,082
CHEROKEE6,6778,856716,01920,93622412433911310,12111,43921,623
CLAY2,5003,391302,9308,6424117151394,1814,6488,851
GRAHAM2,3092,820131,4796,1882308123433,1733,3956,621
HAYWOOD18,53712,18712611,17540,82242310267824719,33722,45442,025
HENDERSON18,19630,56329328,43372,1522,2551402,9381,21435,28341,61877,485
JACKSON10,6906,621988,95422,4934761,5661,82823911,65513,45726,363
MACON7,5699,846727,49024,1641674859815911,48113,29824,977
MADISON7,1774,255644,77215,64112422481577,7428,17216,268
MCDOWELL9,67910,132828,38626,9038642448821113,25915,02028,279
MITCHELL1,2547,280183,06311,4082515167625,4326,13511,615
POLK4,7565,368575,15914,235737103581486,9758,28715,340
SWAIN4,4242,650253,3598,2831051,855215434,9225,51610,458
TRANSYLVANIA7,3378,206908,55722,6238944862514311,16412,73224,190
WATAUGA12,20414,36940016,65840,981794631,79356220,85322,51443,631
YANCEY5,8905,044313,20013,8309118226526,6597,39714,165
STATE TOTAL2,755,0001,995,87023,5411,742,0454,621,0481,463,55653,353378,499120,1292,939,2053,498,6266,516,456

Learn more

For more from Election 2014 reporting from Carolina Public Press, find our special report section here.

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Angie Newsome

Angie Newsome is the executive director and editor of Carolina Public Press. Contact her at (828) 774-5290 or e-mail her at anewsome@carolinapublicpress.org.

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