Early voting ends today
All 17 precincts in McDowell to be open on Election Day MIKE CONLEY
ELECTIONS 2026
Tuesday, Nov. 3, is Election Day and the polls at all 17 precincts will be open throughout the day so voters can cast their ballots in the 2026 midterm elections.
The early voting period for the 2026 elections started on Thursday, Oct. 15, and will come to an end today at 3 p.m., according to information from the McDowell County Board of Elections.
There are two early voting locations here in McDowell: the McDowell County Board of Elections at 2458 N.C. 226 South in Marion and the Old Fort Depot, 25 W. Main St., Old Fort. People who are not registered in McDowell County may register and vote during early voting.
As of 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28, a total of 7,750 people have voted early in McDowell County at both the Marion and Old Fort locations, according to information from Elections Director Jane Dale Propst.
The breakdown by party affiliation is as follows:
■ Democrats: 1,674
■ Green Party: One
■ Libertarians: 10
■ Republicans: 3,294
■ Unaffiliated: 2,771
"Early voting participation has increased in each of the last two mid-term election cycles," Propst said.
In 2018, 7,592 voters cast their ballots during the early voting period. That number increased to 8,374 in 2022, an increase of approximately 10.3%.
"Based on these historical trends, I anticipate that early voting in McDowell County's 2026 mid-term election could reach at least 9,500 voters," Propst said. "If that projection holds, it would represent an increase of more than 1,100 voters compared with 2022 and approximately 25% more early voters than in 2018."
On Tuesday, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for Election Day.
The Election Day polling locations are:
■ Marion 1: Marion Elementary School gymnasium, 209 Robert St., Marion.
■ Marion 2: East McDowell Middle School gymnasium, 676 State St., Marion.
■ Marion 3: Clinchfield United Methodist Church Fellowship Building, 151 Ridge Road, Marion.
■ Marion 4: Clinchfield Baptist Church Fellowship Building, 1150 E. Court St., Marion.
■ Marion 5: McDowell County Recreation Center gymnasium, 25 Academy St., Marion.
■ Pleasant Gardens 6: Pleasant Gardens Elementary School gymnasium, 100 John Roach Drive, Marion.
■ West Marion 7: McDowell County Senior Center, 100 Spaulding Road, Marion.
■ Crooked Creek 8: Crooked Creek Fire Department, 4503 Bat Cave Road, Old Fort.
■ Dysartsville 9: Dysartsville Fire Department, 9184 N.C. 226 South, Nebo.
■ Glenwood 10: Glenwood Fire Department/Ruritan Club, 1749 Old U.S. 221 South, Marion.
■ Higgins 11: Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center conference room, 634 College Drive, Marion.
■ Montford Cove 12: Sugar Hill Fire Department Station 1, 8900 Old Fort Sugar Hill Road, Marion.
■ Nebo 13: Nebo Elementary School Cafeteria, 254 Nebo School Road, Nebo.
■ North Cove 14: Ashford/ North Cove Fire Department, 15640 U.S. 221 North, Marion.
■ Old Fort 1: Old Fort Depot, 25 W. Main St., Old Fort.
■ Old Fort 2: Old Fort Elementary School corridor, 128 S. Mauney Ave., Old Fort.
■ Turkey Cove 17: North Cove Elementary School multipurpose room, 401 American Thread Road, Marion.
When voters go to the polls, they will be asked to make their choices on a variety of county and statewide elections.
Three seats on the McDowell County Board of Commissioners are up for election in 2026. The candidates for these three seats are Republicans Chris Allison, Tony Brown and David Walker and Democrats Terry English, Matt Suttles and Stephanie Tenery.
One of the Marion seats on the McDowell County Board of Education will be contested. Republican Marvin F. Greer and Democrat Sarah Skinner are both seeking this seat.
Eddie Shuford, a Republican, is seeking reelection to the Board of Education's Pleasant Gardens seat. Dr. John Owens has been approved by the Board of Elections as a write-in candidate for that seat.
The other Board of Education seats up for election are held by Republicans Chuck Abernathy (Nebo seat) and Terry Frank (Glenwood seat). Since no Democrat filed to run for these seats, Abernathy and Frank will likely get reelected without any opposition.
Clerk of Superior Court Melissa Adams, another Republican, is facing opposition from Jessica Shuford, a write-in candidate.
N.C. House Rep. Dudley Greene, another Republican, is facing opposition from Democrat Suzanne Gavenus. This is for N.C. House District 85, which includes most of McDowell County.
N.C. House Rep. Jake Johnson, a Republican, is facing opposition from Democrat John Morgan. This race is for N.C. House District 113, which includes a small portion of southern McDowell County.
N.C. Sen. Warren Daniel, a Republican, is facing opposition from Democrat Kyle Whisnant. This is for N.C. Senate District 45, which includes all of McDowell.
Three Republican candidates for District Court judge are on the ballot and all three are running unopposed. They are Robert Martelle, Michelle McEntire and Ellen Shelley. David Norris, another Republican, is running unopposed for the district attorney's office.
McDowell Sheriff Nathan Mace, a Republican, is also on the ballot and has no formal opposition. Two candidates are on the ballot for the McDowell County Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor seats. They are Neil Brackett and Stephen Banner and the office is nonpartisan.
Here in McDowell County, voters will be asked to decide a sales tax referendum. They will be asked to decide whether they are for or against an increase in the sales tax by one-quarter percent or 0.25% in addition to all other state and local sales and use taxes. If approved by the voters, the additional one-quarter cent sales tax would help spread the cost burdens to visitors and non-property owners alike purchasing goods at local retail stores, county officials have said.
And like in other counties, McDowell's voters will make their choices in the race for the U.S. Senate seat from North Carolina and the U.S. House of Representatives' 11th Congressional District.
For more information, contact the McDowell County Board of Elections at 828-659-0834.
