Watauga County Early Voting Sites to Open Late
Early voting locations in Watauga County will open two hours late on February 23rd due to forecasted inclement weather. The Watauga County Board of Elections cited safety concerns for voters and election officials as the reason for the delayed start. All early voting sites in the county are affected by the schedule change.
- The schedule change affects six early voting locations: the Watauga County Administration Building, Blowing Rock American Legion Building, Deep Gap Fire Department, Meat Camp Fire Department, Western Watauga Community Center, and the Plemmons Student Union on the Appalachian State University campus. - Under their normal schedule, all early voting sites are set to operate on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The two-hour delay means polls will open at 10 a.m. on February 23rd. - This early voting period is for the March 3, 2026 primary election. Voters will be selecting party nominees for a number of offices, including U.S. Senate, U.S. House, and various state and local judicial and legislative positions. - The early voting period in Watauga County runs from Thursday, February 12, 2026, through Saturday, February 28, 2026. - The decision to alter the voting hours was made by the Watauga County Board of Elections, which is chaired by Perry Yates. - A long-range weather forecast for February 2026 indicated a pattern of colder-than-normal temperatures for the Southern Appalachians, with the possibility of "frequent, modest snow events."
