Representatives of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians were able to preserve a Cherokee One-Stop Voting Precinct to be located at the Wolftown Gym for the 2018 mid-term elections.
North Carolina recently passed SB325 and HB335 changing the dates and times of one-stop voting. Citing this change in policy and the additional funds it would require, Jackson County Board of Elections considered not utilizing the One-stop Voting Precinct previously located at the Wolftown Gym.
Anita Lossiah, a policy analyst with EBCI Legal, and EBCI Secretary of State Dennis “Bill” Taylor represented the Tribe’s interests at an Aug. 14 meeting of the Jackson County Board of Elections. Citing previous attendance numbers at all Jackson County One-Stop Voting precinct locations, these two representatives were able to convince the Board of Elections to retain the EBCI location for the 2018 mid-term election. The total number of voters that utilized the one-stop voting precinct in 2016 was 622 people for the general election and 72 people for the primary.
“The right to vote was not freely given to the Cherokee or any other tribe,” said Principal Chief Richard G. Sneed. “Our ancestors fought hard to secure this right. We finally won that fight by working with the federal government to pass the Indian Citizens Act in 1924. It is our responsibility to honor them by exercising this right to voice our preferences by voting in State and National elections. I thank Anita Lossiah and Bill Taylor for their work on behalf of the EBCI. I hope to see all of you at the polls this fall.”
The one-stop precinct located at the Wolftown Gym will be open on Wednesday, Oct. 17 and will remain open Monday – Friday 7am – 7pm through Friday, Nov. 2 and will also be open Saturday, Nov. 3 8am – 1pm.
Jackson County Board of Elections is looking for poll workers to provide coverage for the Wolftown precinct. Individuals interested in applying to be a poll worker can apply at www.surveymonkey.com/r/jcpwapplication, 586-7538 or email lisalovedahl@jacksonnc.org
– Office of the Principal Chief
