Columbus Elections Board Faces Backlash After Early‑Voting Proposal

Community turnout, civil‑rights concerns, and budget questions fuel calls to keep multiple voting sites open.

By BC News Staff Writer

Columbus County, NC — The Columbus County Board of Elections is facing growing backlash after proposing to reduce early‑voting sites from five to one, a move that residents, civil‑rights groups, and voting‑access advocates say would create significant barriers for thousands of voters across the county.

Hundreds attended the board’s June 9 meeting, an extremely unusual large turnout for an election’s session.

Many warned that cutting locations would make it harder for residents with limited transportation, long or inflexible work hours, or disabilities to cast a ballot.

Several speakers said the proposal would disproportionately affect Black, Hispanic, low‑income, and elderly voters in a county that spans more than 950 square miles.

The Columbus County NAACP publicly opposed the plan, with chapter president Curtis Hill telling board members that voters “have fought too hard and too long for access to the ballot to see it stripped away like this.”

Advocacy groups echoed that concern, including the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, which submitted a letter outlining the burdens the reduction would place on voters and noting that most early votes in recent elections were cast at sites outside Whiteville, the only location that would remain under the original proposal.

The county’s newly approved budget also funds the usual number of early‑voting sites, raising questions about the need for cuts. Critics say the funding contradicts the board’s justification for reducing locations and undermines the argument that the county cannot support multiple sites.

Following the public outcry, the Board of Elections discussed a revised plan that would keep three early‑voting sites open instead of one. The board has not yet finalized its decision, and advocates say they will continue urging officials to maintain full access ahead of the general election.

© 2026 BCDollarSaver.com. All rights reserved.