Early voting begins for Jackson County Board of Education runoff election

Last updated on July 26, 2022

The in-person early voting period opened today, July 7, for the July 26 municipal general elections, runoffs, and, in Graham and Wake counties, second primaries for sheriff. The special early voting period ends at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 23.

For Jackson County, voters will return to the polls to determine the winner of a runoff election for the Board of Education between Incumbent Abigail Clayton and newcomer Lisa Buchanan.

Abigail Clayton, Lisa Buchanan, and Courtney Umphlett all ran to represent district two on the Jackson County school board, which covers Sylva’s North Ward and Scotts Creek. Lisa Buchanan came in first with 43% of the vote (2,865 votes) and Abigail Clayton came in second with 37% of the vote (2,463 votes) during the May 17 primary election.

Because Jackson County Board of Elections rules state that for school board elections, unless the winning candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, the second-place finisher can file for a runoff, Clayton filed for a runoff after canvass was completed.

The Jackson County Board of Elections saw a field of candidates during the May primary with Clayton serving as the only incumbent out of 10 candidates for various districts representing the school board.

In addition to the Jackson County Board of Education, there will also be a second Primary for the Republican nominee for the Graham County Sheriff’s Office as the Republican candidates were separated by just a handful of votes. The following contests around North Carolina will also be decided on July 26:

Six municipalities – Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Hickory, Mooresville, and Sanford – will hold local general elections for mayor and/or city or town council.

Other municipalities and boards of education will hold runoff elections for certain offices. They are: Cary, New Bern, Rocky Mount, Statesville, the Franklin County Board of Education, and the Jackson County Board of Education.

Second primaries will be held for the Republican nomination for sheriff in Graham County and the Democratic nomination for sheriff in Wake County.
The following are a few reminders from the State Board about in-person early voting:

For voters eligible to vote in the July 26 elections, sample ballots are available through the Voter Search tool. Scroll down to the “Your Sample Ballot” section. If a link to a sample ballot is available, the voter is eligible to vote in the July 26 election.
See candidate lists for the July 26 election.

Eligible individuals may cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county. For sites and hours in the counties conducting elections, see the One-Stop Early Voting Sitessearch tool or One-Stop Voting Sites for the July 26, 2022 Election (PDF).

Eligible individuals who missed the regular voter registration deadline on July 1 may register and vote at the same time during the early voting period. Same-day registrants must attest to their eligibility and provide proof of where they live. For more information, visit Register in Person During Early Voting. This is the only option for individuals who missed the regular registration deadline to be able to register and vote on July 26.

When you check in to vote at an early voting site, you may update your name or address within the same county, if necessary. You may not change your party affiliation at an early voting site.

Postage Cost Increases for Absentee-by-Mail Voters

Beginning July 10, the U.S. Postal Service is increasing the price of a First-Class Mail stamp from 58 cents to 60 cents. Accordingly, absentee-by-mail voters should place 60 cents in postage or one Forever stamp on their ballot-return envelope before mailing it back to their county board of elections office.