MANTEO, N.C. — Early voting has now kicked off in Dare County as we're less than three weeks away from the March primary elections. Three polling stations are set up in the Outer Banks, and News 3 was able to stop by two of those three on Thursday.
"I've always been an enthusiastic voter. I've been voting since Nixon ran in 72," said Phil Edge, who voted at the Kill Devil Hills Town Hall on Thursday.
"I think for us, it's principle. We believe in the concept of elections that are fair and that all people participate in and we have voted for 70 years, roughly," said William Duiker, alongside his wife Yvonne after voting at the Kill Devil Hills Town Hall on Thursday.
The excitement to get out to vote was clear in the Outer Banks on Thursday. No lines out the doors, but a steady flow of our neighbors going into either the Buxton, Kill Devil Hills or Manteo polling stations to cast their ballots.
The Republican ballot has nine races on it. A few that residents have said are the most noteworthy to them are: Dare County Sheriff, U.S. House of Representatives District One, Dare County Commissioners and Dare County Board of Education. The Democratic ballot has two races on it: U.S. Senate and N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Seat Three.
An important note for the Republican ballot is that because Dare County is split in districts for N.C. House of Representatives, residents of Avon, Buxton, Chicamacomico, Frisco, Hatteras, Kitty Hawk (portion), Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Nags Head and Wanchese will have the N.C. House of Representatives District 79 race. Residents of Colington, Duck, East Lake, Kitty Hawk, Manns Harbor, Southern Shores and Stumpy Point will have the N.C. House of Representatives District 1 race.
News 3 spoke with a handful of voters about the issues locally and at the state level that are shaping the way they are voting.
"First thing is the Dare County beach nourishment. Then the second thing is a wonderful spot like Dare County, that's where we get all our fresh seafood that's supporting the country here. Look at what we would be giving up if we didn't get out there and vote," said Paul Kotasenski, after voting at the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo on Thursday.
"With the affordability, they need more low-income housing here. How can anyone who is working as a nurse, a fireman, any of these wonderful, important social jobs, how can they afford to live here," said Yvonne Duiker, after voting at the Kill Devil Hills Town Hall on Thursday.
"You have the same problems here you do in a lot of counties. It's essentially affordability of groceries, just affordability to live," said Edge.
"I think we would like to see some new ideas about how to keep health care prices under control and housing under control, and not just patching things over, but really looking at it and also making an education, whatever level it is, more affordable," said William Duiker.
Early voting runs through Feb. 28 in Dare County at the Dare County Administration Building in Manteo, the Kill Devil Hills Town Hall and the Fessenden Center Annex in Buxton. The current schedule from the Dare County Board of Elections website is as follows:
- 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 13
- 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Feb. 16-27
- 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28
It's important that our residents remember that you will only be able to cast your ballot for the party that you are currently registered as. Unaffiliated voters will be able to choose the Democratic or Republican ballot. The primary election is on Tuesday, March 3.
For more information, head to the county's board of elections website here.
