Unofficial Results from 08/19/08 Referendum:
For Against Total
1106 408 1515
73% 27%
Voter turnout: 12.69%
Referendum Day Results - 586 for, 224 against, 811 total
One Stop Early Voting Results - 520 for, 184 against, 704 total
Thanks to all who made their voice heard on this issue.
Results will be certified at the canvass, scheduled for 10:00am, Tuesday the 26th. It will be held in the first floor courtroom at the Courthouse.
Who can vote?
Those who are registered in the town limits of Boone, NC. If you are registered and living in a unit that lies outside the town limits, or somewhere else in Watauga County, you are not eligible to vote in this referendum election.
If you have moved into Boone by July 21, 2008, you may register and vote by July 25, 2008 and participate. If you live outside of Boone town limits, and you are moving into Boone for an August 1st lease, you are not eligible to vote in this referendum election.
What will the referendum decide?
The only issue on the ballot is a "yes" or "no" vote on allowing mixed beverages to be served at establishments with the proper ABC permits in Boone.
Currently, town of Boone ordinances allow for the sale of wine and beer by the glass in all establishments with proper permits. It also allows patrons to bring their own bottle of liquor into an establishment, and enjoy it responsibly.
If the vote passes, it will likely be a couple months or so for establishments to begin carrying liquor, as they need to obtain permits, train their staffs, reconfigure their bars, and bring liquor in.
Should I vote FOR or AGAINST liquor by the drink in Boone?
This website was created to provide the most accurate and complete information about voting in this referendum election, not to take a side for or against the issue. There are arguments for and against allowing liquor by the drink in Boone, many of which have appeared in opinions and editorials in the Watauga Democrat, The Mountain Times, The High Country Press and on GoBlueRidge.net, all of which are available to search online. There are also Facebook groups dedicated to the issue.
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IF YOU ARE REGISTERED IN THE TOWN OF BOONE -
. . . and you cannot make it up here during One Stop Early Voting or on August 19th, you need to request an absentee ballot. Here's how:
Absentee Voting
Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot from the Watauga County Board of Elections. Their request has to be RECEIVED (not postmarked) by 5:00pm, Tuesday, August 12th. So, mail it back by Thursday, August 7th just to be safe. THE REQUEST MUST BE HANDWRITTEN by the voter or voter's near relative (spouse, brother, sister, parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild) AND INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
- Name of voter
- Residential Address of voter
- Mailing Address of voter (if different from residential address)
- Date of Birth of voter
- Signature of voter OR near relative (indicate relationship with voter)
If the voter is qualified, an application and ballots will be mailed to the voter after the receipt of the written request. The completed ballot must be RECEIVED (not postmarked) in the Watauga Board of Elections office by 5:00 pm on the day before the election, Monday, August 18th, in order to be counted.
Again, the request needs to be HANDWRITTEN, not typed, and then SIGNED in order to be valid.
If you lived in a dorm on the ASU campus, and you are returning to the dorms, you need to be moving into the same dorm room in August in order to vote in this referendum.
If you lived in a dorm on the ASU campus, and you are moving into an apartment within the town limits of Boone, you need to change your registration either before Friday, July 25th, or during the One Stop Early Voting period.
Here's an example of what one could write:
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To: Watauga County Board of Elections
Re: Request for an Absentee Ballot
I'm writing to request an absentee ballot for the August 19th referendum because I'll be out of town fulfilling my summer internship. My name is John Smith, and I live at 555 Oak Street in Boone. [IF YOU'RE ON CAMPUS: I live in room 555 in Doughton Dorm, but I get my mail at ASU Box # 55555.] My date of birth is 55/55/5555. Please mail my ballot to 5555 Capital Lane in Raleigh, NC 27615. Thanks!
John Smith (signed)
_____
Then mail the request to:
Watauga County Board of Elections
P.O. Box 528
Boone, NC 28607
. . . by at least Thursday, August 7th.
Oh, and please don't forget to write the request BY HAND. :-)
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. . . and you can't be here on August 19th, you need to make a trip up to vote early.
Here's how:
One Stop Early Voting
July 30, 2008 - August 15, 2008
Mondays through Fridays AND Saturday, August 15th only
8:00 am - 5:00pm Mondays - Fridays
8:00 am - 1:00pm Saturday (15th)
2 locations only:
Agricultural Center (Rivers Street)
West on Rivers Street past Southern States, turn right into Ag Center 200 yards down.
Courthouse Building (King Street)
1st floor, Board of Elections Office
One Stop Early Registration and Voting was set up in 2007 by the NC General Assembly to allow voters to change or update their registrations AND cast their ballots at the same time. Voters may only do this during the early voting period, and NOT on Election Day.
> If you're already registered, just bring yourself and give the precinct workers your name and current address. Although not required, you should probably bring either a photo ID or your voter registration card just in case.
> If you need to change or update your registration, you must fill out a new voter registration form and bring ONE of the following forms of identification:
An NC Driver's License with current address, a utility bill with name and current address [phone, electric, gas, cable, water], student photo ID WITH documentation from the school
showing name and current address, a paycheck or stub from an employer, a bank or credit card statement, or a government issued document with name and current address [i.e. a U.S. Passport, military ID, DMV identification card, hunting, fishing or gun license, property tax bill,
auto registration, a check from a government agency, birth certificate,
naturalization document, Social Security Administration document]
Just any piece of mail addressed to the voter will not be accepted.
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. . . and you will be in town August 19th, you should vote!!! Here's how:
Election Day - August 19, 2008
Polls are open from 6:30am to 7:30pm
Only those who live IN THE BOONE TOWN LIMITS may vote. So, you may be registered in one of these precincts, but not be eligible because your house falls outside the town limits.
Precinct Polling Place Rough directions
Blue Ridge Laurel Fork Baptist Church 229 Jake Storie Road, Boone
Boone 1 Courthouse on King Street Depot and King Streets
Boone 2 ASU Plemmons Student Union 2nd floor - Linville Falls Room
Boone 3 Farthing Auditorium Rivers Street, ASU Campus
Brushy Fork Oak Grove Baptist Church 421 North, left on Oak Grove Rd, on right
New River 1 Watauga High School 105 South, half a mile from 321 on left
New River 2 Three Forks Baptist Association 194 North, past Hardin Park Elem. on left
New River 3 National Guard Armory State Farm Road to Hunting Hills Dr, on right
Don't know which precinct is yours?
Go to this website to check: http://www.sboe.state.nc.us/voterlookup.aspx
OR just go to cast an early vote (see above) OR to the Courthouse on August 19 (see below)
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. . . if you KNOW you are a resident of Boone, and were living in Boone by July 21st, and the precinct officials doubt that you are eligible to vote, ASK THEM NICELY for a provisional ballot. Here's how:
Provisional Voting
Provisional voting allows those who are unclear about where they are registered and are not on the lists that the precinct workers have, the ability to vote pending verification of their name, current address, and voter status. If there is any doubt or reason they have or give for you not being eligible to vote, and you disagree, you should request a provisional ballot. The worst thing that can happen is that you won't be eligible and the vote will not be counted. Better safe than sorry.
Hold on to the instructions sheet they give you, including your pin number, and check with the BOE office later in the week to see if your vote was counted. You may also look up this information at the SBOE site: http://www.app.sboe.state.nc.us/provisionalvoting/?s=86
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. . . and its 7:06 pm on August 19th, and you don't know if you can make it to your precinct by 7:30 pm, you should go to the Courthouse and vote there. Here's how:
Transfer Voting
The transfer voting site for this referendum is the Courthouse on King Street. If you can't make it to your precinct for any reason, or if you know you are registered at an in-town precinct, but don't know where (although you should if you've read this page), you can stop by the Courthouse and tell them you want to vote there, and they'll let you. If they don't for any reason, ask for a provisional ballot.
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IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED IN THE TOWN OF BOONE -
Register to Vote by Friday, July 25th at the Board of Elections office in the Watauga County Courthouse Building.
Then, call 10 of your friends who are registered in Boone to let them know this vote is scheduled and they need to make it up here during early voting or on AUGUST 19th.
Then, Facebook or email them with the link to this page: www.voiceyourchoiceboone.com
Call the Watauga County Board of Elections with any questions you may have: 828.265.8061
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The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower