State urges candidates to decide early whether to request runoff

North Carolina’s elections agency is calling on candidates eligible to request a runoff or recount to do so as soon as possible. Changes to state law last year compressed the time period between certification of election results and the start of early voting for runoffs. Candidates, by statute, have until noon on October 19 to request a runoff, but early voting is scheduled to begin on the same day.

Raleigh

Oct 11, 2017

RALEIGH – North Carolina’s elections agency is calling on candidates eligible to request a runoff or recount to do so as soon as possible. Changes to state law last year compressed the time period between certification of election results and the start of early voting for runoffs. Candidates, by statute, have until noon on October 19 to request a runoff, but early voting is scheduled to begin on the same day.

“Counties will not be able to start early voting on time if candidates wait to request a runoff, ” said Kim Westbrook Strach, executive director of the State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement.

Legislative efforts to address the election calendar conflicts were not successful.