The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted to extend voting hours in Gaston and Columbus counties after voting was disrupted at two precincts.
In Gaston County, a fire alarm that went off at Ashbrook High School brought voting to a halt at 11:20 a.m. Poll workers say everyone had to be evacuated. Voting resumed about 20 minutes later. The precinct will remain open until 7:50 p.m.
In Columbus County, one ballot style wasn't available when the Tabor City Courthouse precinct opened late. Officials say the cause was a poll worker who forgot to pick up a box of ballots. The precinct will remain open until 9:20 p.m.
Officials say voting in North Carolina is going smoothly despite some minor snafus at some precincts around the state. Workers at some precincts in Wake County were having trouble feeding ballots into tabulator machines.
Officials say the paper ballots were becoming damp due to high humidity. Some precincts have brought in large fans to dry the ballots off so they can be counted and are keeping doors closed and the A/C running.
Meanwhile, candidates and political parties are continuing to stump outside polling sites today. U.S. Representative Alma Adams, who represents the 12th Congressional District, stopped by a precinct near UNC Charlotte to campaign for herself and Democrats down the ballot.
"We need some help in Congress, certainly in North Carolina when we look at our North Carolina delegation, it’s pretty lopsided and that’s been because of the gerrymandering, so clearly we’re looking to have Dan McCready join us in the Congress, Linda Coleman, and Kathy Manning," Adams said.
Polls remain open in North Carolina until 7:30 p.m. In South Carolina, polls remain open until 7.
