I want to share the reality of a working friend… I know there are others who face a similar dilemma, and I encourage them to let the local Board of Elections and the N.C. State Board of Elections know what problems they are causing by limiting voting hours and days. – Sunday is even one of the days that has a history of higher voter turnout.

I am disappointed with the majority of the Rowan County Board of Election’s decision against Plan C for the Early Voting calendar; a plan that added two additional days, a Saturday and Sunday. Sunday is even one of the days that has a history of higher voter turnout. I want to share the reality of a working friend. I am sure his dilemma is not the only one which does not allow him to vote throughout the week, especially with the shortened weekday voting hours that the majority also proposed.

My friend is the father of a two-year-old toddler. Daily, he has to waken, dress and feed his son and get him to daycare which opens at 9 a.m. He has to commute to be at work from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. So his only voting time is on the weekends during early voting unless he takes a sick day. He does not have Election Day off work either; therefore, if he chooses to vote, he has a loss of wages. He feels that by limiting the weekend day, the board is saying that his vote does not matter unless he takes a day off work to cast it. This action is similar to voter suppression which requires standards forbidding some people to vote.

I know there are others who face a similar dilemma, and I encourage them to let the local Board of Elections and the N.C. State Board of Elections know what problems they are causing by limiting voting hours and days.

Linda Voelker