Early voting for the 2022 primary elections in Lee County begins on Thursday, April 28.
Registered voters can cast ballots at either the Lee County Board of Elections, now located at 1503 Elm St., or the McSwain Agricultural Center, 2420 Tramway Road.
Hours for early voting are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays through Friday, May 13. Early voting will also be available from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, May 14.
Unaffiliated voters may choose either the Democratic or Republican ballots, but not both. Democrats and Republicans are restricted to their party’s ballot.
Both parties have primaries in 2022. Democrats Sam Gaskins and Rebecca Wyhof Salmon face one another in the mayoral primary (no Republican filed for the seat), while Democrats Mark Akinosho and Ken Britton are competing for the west Sanford-based Ward 1 seat on the Sanford City Council (the winner will face Republican Blaine Sutton in July’s municipal general election).
Republicans, meanwhile, have three primaries. Four candidates (Eric Davidson, Chris Gaster, Alan Rummel, and Kenna Wilson) are vying for three spots on the ballot for the Lee County Board of Education and will face Democrats Walter Ferguson, Christine Hilliard and Pat McCracken in November; Republicans David Buboltz, Jim Burgin and Ernie Watson have a three way race to be GOP nominee for the North Carolina state Senate seat currently held by Burgin (the winner will face Democrat Richard Chapman in the fall), and interim Sheriff Brian Estes faces challenger Tim Smith. The winner of the sheriff primary will face Democrat Carlton Lyles in November.
Primary Election Day is Tuesday, May 17.