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Haire, Robinson cast their ballots
State Sen. Dan Robinson, right, and Rep. Phil Haire, left, cast their ballots Herald photo by Lisa Majors-Duff State Sen. Dan Robinson, right, and Rep. Phil Haire, left, cast their ballots Tuesday, kicking off North Carolina's new no-excuse absentee voting period. "Voting has never been so easy or so fast," said Robinson, a Jackson County Democrat. "Many times, citizens miss the opportunity to vote because they can't get to the polls on Election Day. Now everyone can vote at a time that is convenient for them." Robinson and Haire voted at the Jackson County Board of Elections, which is supervised by Lisa Lovedahl-Lehman. Under the new no-excuse voting law approved in 1999 by the General Assembly, voters may apply for absentee ballots and cast them during the same visit. Voters can use the new system through Friday, Nov. 3.
The law removes the excuse requirement from absentee voting, which means voters do not have to provide a reason why they will be unable to vote on Election Day. About half the nation's voters don't participate in elections. North Carolina's turnout level has lagged behind the national level since 1960, according to election studies. "I hope everyone will take advantage of the convenience of this new system," Haire said. "Voting is a key part of our democratic process and the more people participate, the stronger our democracy will be."

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