HCGOP Resolution Submitted to HCBOE
The following resolution was presented, amended and accepted by the HCGOP at its convention in March 2024. It was then submitted to the Harnett County Board of Elections for consideration.
Let's keep attending the HCBOE meetings to speak on behalf of quick action by the Board regarding this resolution.
RESOLUTION TO CALL THE HARNETT COUNTY AND NC STATE BOARDS OF ELECTIONS TO REVIEW AND REDRAW THE DISPROPORTIONATE SIZES OF VOTER PRECINCTS IN HARNETT COUNTY
Whereas Article 12, NCGS 163-128(a) states, in part:
“……Except as provided by Article 12A of this Chapter, the county board of elections shall have power from time to time, by resolution, to establish, alter, discontinue, or create such new election precincts or voting places as it may deem expedient.”;
Whereas Article 12A, NCGS 163-132.3 states:
“(a) No county board of elections may change any precinct boundary unless approved by the Executive Director of the State Board.”;
(b) To be used by the Executive Director and the county boards of elections in changing precinct boundaries in accordance with this section, the State Board shall set uniform standards for precinct boundaries that the county boards of elections shall follow. Any uniform standards for precinct boundaries set by the State Board shall comply with all of the following:
(3) Precincts shall consist of territory and population that allows for efficient and accurate administration of elections, taking into consideration available polling places and access to polling places.
(c) The county board of elections shall report every change in precinct boundary to the Executive Director in a format required by the Executive Director. No newly created or altered precinct boundary is effective until approved by the Executive Director as being in compliance with this section.
(d) The Executive Director shall examine the maps of the proposed new or altered precincts and any required written descriptions. If the Executive Director determines that all precinct boundaries are in compliance with this section, the Executive Director shall approve the maps and written descriptions as filed and these precincts shall be the official precincts for voting.
(e) If the Executive Director determines that the proposed precinct boundaries are not in compliance with subsection (b) of this section, the Executive Director shall not approve those proposed precinct boundaries. The Executive Director shall notify the county board of elections of the disapproval specifying the reasons. The county board of elections may then resubmit new proposed precinct maps and written descriptions to cure the reasons for the disapproval.”;
Whereas periodic reviews of the Harnett County voting precincts, if any, have not kept pace with the population growth and population changes throughout the county;
Whereas current precincts in Harnett County do not allow for efficient administration of elections due to the disproportionate sizes of voter precincts;
Whereas polling places in three precincts are located ten or more miles travel distance from some locations within the precinct, making access to polling places too burdensome;
Whereas the disproportionate totals of registered voters in each precinct as of 1/31/2024 is herein outlined:
Barbecue 15,439
Anderson Creek 11,640
Black River 8,414
Northwest 7,631
Johnsonville 7,191
Coats/Grove 6,925
Boone Trail 6,156
West Averasboro 4,917
Central Harnett/Neills Creek 4,508
Erwin/Duke 4,110
East Averasboro 3,608
Stewarts Creek 3,094
Central Harnett/Lillington 2,798;
Whereas over 30% of the registered voters in the county reside in two precincts (Barbecue and Anderson Creek), and almost 50% of registered voters in the county reside in just four of the thirteen precincts (Barbecue, Anderson Creek, Johnsonville, and Boone Trail);
Whereas the total number of registered voters combined in the four precincts of E. Averasboro, W. Averasboro, Erwin/Duke, and Stewarts Creek is approximately equivalent to just the Barbecue Precinct;
Whereas the total number of registered voters in the three precincts of Coats/Grove, C. Harnett Neills Creek, and Central Harnett Lillington combined is less than Barbecue Precinct;
Whereas Black River and NW Harnett Precincts, having the third and fourth largest population of total registered voters have only 4% more registered voters than Barbecue Precinct alone;
Whereas wait times to vote in Barbecue and Anderson Creek precincts are significantly longer and disproportionate to other precincts, which creates burdens, fatigue, and excessive exposure to inclement weather for voters in these precincts resulting in voters leaving the polling places without voting; and
Whereas students attending Western Harnett High School and Anderson Creek Primary School are at a disproportionately higher risk of harm from the increased traffic flow in and out of school grounds and in the parking lot, as well as the large number of adults walking around school grounds, entering the school building, and standing in line for lengthy periods of time; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, that the Harnett County and North Carolina State Boards of Elections:
- review and redraw the voter precincts in Harnett County to provide proportional sizes of each precinct based on the population of registered voters;
- review and redraw the voter precincts in Harnett County to provide proportional consideration with focus on access to polling places and administrative efficiency to reduce voter waiting times and negative health risks from extended exposure to inclement weather in long lines;
- review and redraw the voter precincts in Harnett County to account for the population growth and population changes throughout the county to allow for efficient administration of elections and proportional sizes of voter precincts, and remove all schools as polling places to protect the students of Harnett County; and
- act in an expeditious manner to address and correct these concerns for the citizens of Harnett County to be effective by the General Election scheduled for November 5, 2024.