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Board of Elections

Orange County · Board of Elections
Tuesday, December 2, 2025

Regular meeting Elections and districtsPublic facilitiesAppointments and personnelBudget and appropriationsPolice and public safetySchools and education

Agenda document Minutes Watch Meeting recap

What was decided

  1. Approved 5Approval of Board Minutes Approved unanimously
  2. Approved 8.aReview of Staff Near Relative Candidate Policy Adopted unanimously
  3. Approved 8.cAdopt Early Voting Plan for the March 3, 2026 Primary Adopted unanimously

Read from the agenda's recorded outcomes. Where the board published minutes, those are the record — this is a pointer to them.

What's on this agenda

Orange County's board of elections adopted its early voting plan for the March 3 primary on December 2, setting six sites and hours running February 12 through 28. It also heard, after a closed session on personnel, that the board chair is moving out of the county and resigning effective January 1.

The board acknowledged reports of safety concerns at the Drakeford Library, one of the six early voting sites, and the director said she would raise them with library leadership.

Summarized from the published agenda. Read the agenda itself before acting on it.

Meeting recap

What happened, drawn from the records published after the meeting. Minutes

The Efland precinct's election day polling place was the other open question. It currently sits at the Efland Ruritan Club, a private facility. The director recommended moving it to the county-owned Efland-Cheeks Community Center, which is already an early voting site, on grounds of cost, voter confusion and logistics, and showed turnout figures indicating the community center handles a comparable number of voters a day. She and the county attorney were still negotiating the board's use of the facility under state law at the time. The move was approved at the January 13 meeting.

The board also adopted a revised policy, first written in 2021, governing how the office operates when a near relative of a full-time staff member files to run in an election the office conducts. The revision adds security measures including video surveillance of any area holding voting equipment or ballots.

The county had 110,872 registered voters, up 104 since October 7. The registration repair project still lists 1,142 voters, with 495 repaired.

Early voting hours are 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the first and last Saturdays, noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday February 22, and closed on Sunday February 15 and Saturday February 21.

How the votes went

Six unanimous votes: approving the November 13 and 14 minutes, adopting the revised near-relative policy (Cox/Sims), adopting the meeting schedule for the primary (Cox/Sims), adopting the early voting plan (Sims/Mebane), entering closed session on personnel, and adjourning.

From the published minutes.

Who spoke

No members of the public spoke.

No one present wished to address the board.

Read from the records the government published after the meeting. Members of the public are private residents and are not named or indexed.

Speaking at this meeting

Orange County's own rules for public comment — check them before you rely on anything here.

Agenda items (7)

Other · 2Minutes approval · 1Staff or committee report · 1Discussion item · 1Procedural · 1Closed session · 1
  1. 5 Approval of Board Minutes
    Minutes approval
    The November 13 and November 14, 2025 minutes.
    Approved unanimously
  2. 6 Director's Report
    Staff or committee report Budget and appropriationsElections and districts
    The county has 110,872 registered voters, up 104 since October 7. The registration repair project still lists 1,142 voters with 495 repaired. The budget report showed sufficient funds.
  3. 7.a Efland Precinct Election Day Voting Location
    Discussion item Elections and districtsPublic facilities
    Moving the Efland election day site from the privately owned Efland Ruritan Club to the county-owned Efland-Cheeks Community Center, already an early voting location, to cut costs, reduce voter confusion and consolidate operations at one familiar public site. Turnout data showed the community center handles a comparable number of voters a day. Discussions with the community center about the board's use of the facility were still under way, and the item was set for action in January.
  4. 8.a Review of Staff Near Relative Candidate Policy
    Other Elections and districtsPolice and public safety
    A revision of the December 2021 policy on office operations when a near relative of a full-time staff member files for office in an election the board conducts, adding security measures including video surveillance of any area where voting equipment or ballots are present.
    Adopted unanimously
  5. 8.b Adopt Meeting Schedule to Support March 3, 2026 Primary
    Procedural Elections and districtsSchools and education
    The board's meeting schedule for the March 3 primary and Orange County Schools board of education election.
    Approved unanimously
  6. 8.c Adopt Early Voting Plan for the March 3, 2026 Primary
    Other Elections and districtsPublic facilities
    Six early voting sites: Orange Works at Hillsborough Commons, the Drakeford Library in Carrboro, Chapel Hill Library, Chapel of the Cross, the Seymour Senior Center and the Efland-Cheeks Community Center. Hours run February 12 through 28, weekdays 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., the first and last Saturdays 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday February 22 noon to 4 p.m., closed Sunday February 15 and Saturday February 21. The board noted safety concerns reported at the Drakeford Library, which the director will raise with library leadership.
    Adopted unanimously
    • 113 Mayo St · no matching parcel on file
    • 203 S Greensboro St · no matching parcel on file
    • 100 Library Dr · no matching parcel on file
    • 304 E Franklin St · no matching parcel on file
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  7. 8.d Closed Session for Director's Performance Review
    Closed session Appointments and personnel
    A closed session on personnel. On returning to open session the chair announced she is moving out of Orange County and resigning as chair effective January 1, 2026.

Agenda changes

What moved between published versions of this agenda. Item numbers shift constantly as things are inserted, so only genuine additions and removals are listed.

Other recent meetings of this board