By Mickey Hutchings
In campus news, The Appalachian reports that about four students were in line to be the first to vote on Election Day in the Plemmons Student Union. Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. in North Carolina. The Appalachian also reports that some voters were confused about voting outside of their precinct or casting a provisional ballot. Many on-campus students are split between the Boone 2 and Boone 3 precincts. Many students living on West Campus vote at the Agricultural Conference Center while many living on East Campus vote in the Plemmons Student Union. According to Watauga County director of elections Matt Snyder, if a voter shows up at the wrong precinct to vote, they can cast a provisional ballot at that precinct. For information and to answer your election day questions, visit The Appalachian’s website at theappalachianonline.com.
Locally, thousands of people have casted their ballot in Watauga County so far. Here’s what you need to know to vote today in the High Country according to The Appalachan. There are 14 precincts across the county where voters can cast their ballots. Polls opened at 6:30 a.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m. tonight. If you’re still waiting in line to cast your ballot when polls close at 7:30, don’t leave the line! You still have the right to vote if you’re in line when polls close. Intimidating voters at the polls is the crime. If you are experiencing or notice voter intimidation taking place, inform a poll worker immediately. If you are not registered to vote before election day, you are ineligible to vote in North Carolina.
In Fayetteville, a 102-year-old woman voted for the first time today. Gertrude Stackhouse –– also known as Mama Gert –– was born in the midst of the 1918 flu epidemic. In the middle of novel coronavirus pandemic, Stackhouse went to polls for the first time in life to cast her ballot in the 2020 election. Stackhouse lived through momentous periods in United States history, like the Civil Rights Movement and World War Two, and never voted. Stackhouse explained that this year's election is different. She said she wanted to be on the, quote, right side, the Lord’s side.