So… Why am I still talking about this Rowan County Early Voting Plan? Because I am an American citizen and one of our most important freedoms is our right and tradition to question those with power. And the story for an Early Voting Plan for Rowan County continues.

It would be un-American to remain silent in the face of those in power making decisions that concern each and every voter in Rowan County. I ask that you find time to re-fresh your knowledge of what should be a nonpartisan decision, a decision that officially started on June 10 at our local election board and now continues at the NC State Board of Elections. Because, bottom line, how often does it benefit the public if elected or appointed officials make decisions behind closed doors or take actions that appear to promote a less engaged citizenry?

Re-cap… At the June 10 meeting, Rowan Election Board members were to select an Early Voting Calendar from the 5 plans presented or a variation there-of. The public wrote to the board and showed up in support of 17 consecutive days, Plan E, that added two Saturdays and two Sundays to the 13 days mandated by the General Assembly. No opposition plan was requested by the public. The two minority members proposed and voted in favor of Plan E while the three majority members preferred the legal minimum of days, Plan A, that included only weekdays and one mandated Saturday, Oct. 31, Halloween. Minority members repeatedly offered concessions, moving from their preferred position  to Plan D and eventually to Plan C as a fair compromise that would still include a full weekend during Early Voting; one extra Saturday and Sunday. A compromise was not reached and the meeting ended with Plan A, the majority plan, and Plan C, the minority plan moving to the NC State Board of Elections for a decision. And why Plan C rather than Plan E, the 17 days requested from the public? Because the two  minority members, Democrats, were willing to do their job as stewards of all Rowan voters and find middle ground while the three member majority, Republicans, stayed with the legal minimum. 

So… Why am I still talking about this Rowan County Early Voting Plan? Because I am an American citizen and one of our most important freedoms is our right and tradition to question those with power. And the story for an Early Voting Plan for Rowan County continues.

At the conclusion of the June 10 meeting and announcement of a July 1 meeting, voters prepared for communicating our wishes to the NC State Elections Board by looking for expertise in understanding the public record of Rowan voting trends. To do so we turned to a nonpartisan group, Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ), for more comprehensive voting information. It was noted at the June 10 meeting that the data member Elaine Hewitt has used for years as justification for limited weekend voting, needed updating. Voters also prepared to attend the scheduled July 1 meeting of the local board with new voting facts and with hopes that this information, combined with citizen voices, might broker a compromise move to the center by the three member majority. 

Whoopsie… the Rowan Elections Chair decided to cancel the July 1 meeting. So citizens began a public petition, wrote more letters to the local board and local paper, and continued to organize in preparation for communicating with the NC State Board. 

Then suprisingly….  The local chair called a special meeting for July 8, eliminated all public comment, and had an agenda that announced an Early Voting Plan, yet did not reveal what it was. I assume the secrecy was because the plan was concocted by the Chair talking to individual members rather than discussing a compromise plan at the cancelled July 1 meeting and where the discussion could be heard by the public. (Yes, this appears to be a legal move by the chair.) 

Except…. The July 8th meeting of the Rowan County Board of Elections was the most secretive public meeting I have ever attended. I’ve waited to write to see if any evidence showed up to the contrary or if anyone came forward to support the actions of the  Republican members of the Rowan County Election Board. 

Yes… Party affiliation does matter when on the morning of the July meeting, NBC reported that NC State Board liaison to all County Elections Boards, Dallas Woodhouse, was reassigned after allegations of election interference with local boards. 

Eventually… Woodhouse, appointed by NC State Auditor Dave Boliek, resigned in the midst of actual texts and public testimony of fellow Republicans in other NC counties. (Note: Republicans now hold a majority on all NC Election Boards, state and local. These are appointed positions, not elected ones.) 

This week…  I watched a video taken of the zoom provided to those who weren’t in the Board Room at the July 8 meeting. It was as I remembered.  During that meeting, Democratic appointed member Evelyn Medina asked Chair Dave Collins if he or the Director had received any emails from Woodhouse. Collins maintained that no emails were received from Woodhouse when responding to Medina. Yet as reported by the Post, “Collins reported in an email to SCSJ that he spoke with Woodhouse five times with no notes kept on the conversations.”  Since then, other public records requests have shown interference from Boliek and Raleigh staff in some local election board decisions. 

So… There’s still that pesky problem of the June 10 and July 8 meeting minutes being unavailable to the public until the local Board meets in August, assuming they meet, and those minutes are approved.

Finally… Part I ends and Part II of this journey awaits the public. Don’t forget, our NC State Board of Elections was an independent agency from its inception until the legislative majority, in a lame-duck session following the 2024 elections, made our nearly 125 year respected NC process partisan. 

“Dear Neighbor” authors are united in a belief that civility and passion can coexist. We believe curiosity and conversation make us a better community.