Why is an easily understood and accessible Early Voting Calendar so important? It is an indication of how important we hold a citizen’s right to vote in Rowan County. I have advocated for accessible voting for years, knowing that my advocacy may very well lead to the defeat of my chosen candidates. That is itself the point. My partisan opinions should not limit my neighbor’s ability to vote.
Dear Neighbor,
It is once again time for the Rowan County Board of Elections to choose the 2026 Early Voting Calendar for Rowan voters. In addition to following their oath and the rules, laws, and procedures, local Election Board members are given the flexibility to choose the best Early Voting Calendar for their county voters with each new election. I firmly believe that our Rowan Election Board members’ priority, as good stewards of our voting procedures, should be to listen to and serve the needs and requests of the voters, rather than casting their vote based upon their personal views or along party lines.
The current draft copy of proposed Early Voting plans for Rowan County includes 4 different scenarios, from the bare minimum required by the state, to 3 different plans with an assortment of differing Saturday and Sunday options. The most accessible plan, Plan D, is also the most straightforward and is a plan Rowan County has used before. It keeps everything very simple by having 17 consecutive days of Early Voting, beginning February 12th and ending on February 28th. It’s an easy reminder – “Early Voting begins on President Lincoln’s birthday and continues through the end of February for the 2026 primaries. GO VOTE!”
Why is an easily understood and accessible Early Voting Calendar so important? It is an indication of how important we hold a citizen’s right to vote in Rowan County. I have advocated for accessible voting for years, knowing that my advocacy may very well lead to the defeat of my chosen candidates. That is itself the point. My partisan opinions should not limit my neighbor’s ability to vote.
Rowan County is a large county. We only have 3 Early Voting sites on the draft calendar for this year. If you live in the far reaches of our county you don’t just drop by a voting site – you make a plan that fits your working and family needs. Some might say, just vote on Election Day at a precinct near your home. What happens if your schedule prohibits voting on a Tuesday or you or your family get sick or land in the hospital? In addition, Early Voting is also the period of time when you are allowed to register as well as vote and to repair any registration issues so that you do not have to submit a provisional ballot.
From the Brennan Center for Justice on the advantages of Early Voting. – “Early voting eases Election Day congestion, leading to shorter lines and improved poll-worker performance. It allows election officials to correct registration errors and fix voting system glitches earlier. And polling has shown that early voting enjoys popular support.”
So in reality, what’s not to like about 17 consecutive days of accessible voting unless you’re trying to suppress the vote? The Rowan County Early Voting plans will be discussed and voted upon by the Rowan County Board of Elections on Friday, November 14th, at 11:00 am at the Board of Elections Office, 1935 Jake Alexander Blvd.W. Salisbury, NC. I hope to see you there.
“Dear Neighbor” authors are united in a belief that civility and passion can coexist. We believe curiosity and conversation make us a better community.