08 ncac 10B .0102          SETTING UP POLLING PLACE PRIOR TO VOTING

(a)  The Chief Judge, Judges, and Assistants shall arrive at the voting place no later than 6:00 a.m. on the day of the election.

(b)  The Chief Judge shall administer the oath to Judges and Assistants who have not taken the oaths required by G.S. 163-41 or G.S. 163-42.

(c)  The Chief Judge shall assign tasks regarding the setup of the polling place to ensure the participation of judges and assistants of each represented party. At least one official shall be directed by the Chief Judge to manage curbside voting and facilitate the process for voters with special needs.

(d)  The Chief Judge or designated official shall ensure that the telephone or other device required by 08 NCAC 10B .0109(b) is working.

(e)  The members of the County Board of Elections shall ensure the following:

(1)           each voting system is delivered to the voting place and placed in the custody of the Chief Judge or designated official within three days before the election with the ballot labels or other precinct designation already in place on each unit;

(2)           keys and other security devices necessary for the operation of the voting system are delivered to the Chief Judge;

(3)           a board member or employee of the County Board of Elections and the Chief Judge or designated official shall confirm the keys and other security devices are provided to the Chief Judge;

(4)           all numbers stamped on the keys and security devices should correspond to the number of the voting units;

(5)           a board member or employee of the County Board of Elections and the Chief Judge or designated official shall ensure that the ballots are in position and that no votes have been cast or recorded on any unit, and that the units are operating according to manufacturer specifications;

(6)           voting tabulating units shall be locked and sealed (or otherwise secured in the manner recommended by the manufacturer) and shall remain that way until the polls are closed; and

(7)           keys and other security devices are kept in a location that cannot be accessed by anyone other than election officials.

(f)  The Chief Judge, with the cooperation of at least one official of the other major political party shall verify the delivery of all election supplies, records and equipment necessary for the conduct of the election.

(g)  The Chief Judge shall ensure that all voting instructions, signs, and sample ballots are posted around the polling place, including signs designating the voting place, the buffer zone, temporary or permanent accessible parking, and the curbside voting area.

(h)  The Chief Judge shall ensure that the polling place is arranged to provide private spaces so voters may cast votes unobserved. The Chief Judge shall also ensure that there is adequate space and furniture for separate areas for voter registration records, ballot distribution, and private discussions with voters. The voting enclosure must be set up so that all equipment and furniture can be seen by the Chief Judge, Judges, and Assistants. The exterior of the voting units and every part of the voting enclosure shall be in plain view of the Chief Judge and Judges.

(i)  The door to the voting place/enclosure shall be sufficiently wide to accommodate voters in wheelchairs. The door width, hardware, and thresholds shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) which is hereby incorporated by reference, including any subsequent amendments or editions, which can be found free of charge at https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/buildings-and-sites/about-the-ada-standards/background/adaag. The County Board of Elections must approve any plan that would cause a deviation in the set up and arrangement of the voting enclosure. For example, generally the door into the voting place/enclosure shall be the same door used to exit the voting place/enclosure. However, if by doing so the flow of voters is disturbed, a separate door may be used to exit the voting place/enclosure. If a separate door is used, it shall be in plain view of the Chief Judge, Judges, and Assistants so that they can ensure that only election officials may enter the voting enclosure through the exit door.

(j)  The Chief Judge shall assign a Judge or Assistant to provide demonstrations to voters, upon request, in the use of the voting system.

(k)  At the Chief Judge's request at 6:30 a.m. one of the Judges shall announce that the polls are open and that polls will close at 7:30 p.m.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 163-22; 163-165.5;

Temporary Adoption Eff. April 15, 2002;

Eff. August 1, 2004;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 3, 2017;

Amended Eff. September 1, 2019.