Controversy Arises Over Early Voting Site at Western Carolina University
In a surprising turn of events, tensions have surfaced within the Jackson County Board of Elections over the placement of an early voting site at Western Carolina University (WCU). Jay Pavey, a Republican board member, revealed he faced pressure to oppose the site, raising questions about internal party dynamics and their impact on election logistics.
Pavey cast his vote in favor of establishing an early voting location at WCU, defying threats from his party about potential removal from the board. “I’ve been told that if I don’t vote a particular way, that they will, they will do whatever they have to do to remove me from the board,” Pavey stated during the meeting.
Board Chairman Bill Thompson also acknowledged experiencing “pressure from above” to keep the polling station off campus. He was the only member to vote against the proposal, citing concerns about maintaining neutrality. “They want it to stay off campus,” Thompson explained, referring to the party’s stance.
The meeting, which was notably open about the influences at play, highlighted the Republican Party’s clear interest in preventing a voting site at the university. Pavey defended his decision by emphasizing the location’s suitability for managing voter turnout. “I know that I’m bucking my party on this, and I may be a one-term member of the Board of Elections,” he said, expressing his willingness to stand by his choice.
Hannah Preston from Influence NC, a nonprofit that encourages political engagement, shared the full audio of the board meeting with NC Newsline. The organization is actively monitoring the actions of the Jackson and Guilford elections boards due to past decisions against campus voting sites.
Local early voting plans that lack unanimous county board approval are reviewed by the state Board of Elections. The state board, with a Republican majority, previously rejected plans that involved WCU and other universities as voting sites, including NC A&T State University, UNC-Greensboro, and Elon University. More details on this decision can be found here.
WCU had served as a polling location since 2016, participating in five general elections and four primaries. Pavey and former board member Wes Hanemayer faced scrutiny from the state Republican Party Executive Committee for supporting the WCU site. Hanemayer has since resigned, but attended the April board meeting.
Despite presenting data and arguments, Pavey reported that the party’s stance remained unchanged. “We presented them evidence, we presented them numbers, we presented them everything,” Pavey recounted. “And all I heard was, ‘Well, we just don’t want it on campus. We just don’t want it on campus.’”
The state GOP did not directly address inquiries about pressuring Pavey. GOP spokesperson Matt Mercer reiterated the party’s commitment to ensuring voter access while maintaining election integrity, without commenting on specific actions.
Speculation arose about the involvement of the state Auditor’s Office, following legislative changes that transferred the power to appoint state Board of Elections members to the Republican state Auditor, Dave Boliek. This shift has altered the political landscape of the state and local elections boards, as detailed here and here.
Ultimately, the Jackson County Board voted 3-1 in favor of the early voting plan that included WCU. Due to the lack of unanimous agreement, the state board will make the final decision. Chairman Thompson expressed his resignation to the outcome, stating, “It will go to Raleigh, and I will wash my hands of it.”
This article was originally published in NC Newsline, part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.
