GREENSBORO, N.C. — Former President Trump's campaign rally on Tuesday is at the Greensboro Complex Special Events Center. An Early Voting polling place is set up every day, also at the Greensboro Complex Special Events Center. The fact that Early Voting was taking place at the same time and the same place as a campaign rally raised a question from a 2 Wants To Know viewer.
I thought things like that weren't allowed. Is it legal?
The NC State Board of Elections listed the requirements on its website under this heading: The guidance on maintaining safe and orderly polling places.
The guidelines say there must be a buffer zone of up to 50 feet outside each voting place.
2WTK asked the Greensboro Complex administration to show us where the rally is compared to the early voting site.
The Special Events Hall C is on the far right side of the complex, where the bulk of parking is for the Coliseum. The Early Voting site is in Meeting Room 3, which is in Hall A. It's on the opposite side and well over the 50 feet of buffer room required.
The Guilford Board of Elections released this release:
Though the campaign event poses logistical challenges, early voting will continue to operate from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. as planned. Parking will be designated for voters and curbside voting will continue for voters who cannot enter the building. Voters will not have to go through scanners if they are there to vote only. Event attendees will have to be rescanned if they leave the event area to vote.
Within the Special Events Center, the voting and the campaign event will be in separate wings, and voters cannot cross into the event side. There will still be a 50-foot buffer zone maintained from the entrance to the building in which no electioneering may occur.
Voters must enter the Greensboro Coliseum Complex using the Patterson Street entrance off Gate City Boulevard. Campaign event attendees must enter via the Coliseum Boulevard entrances.
In-person early voting for the 2024 general election began Thursday, Oct. 17, and ends on Nov. 2 at 3 p.m. in all 100 NC counties.
Early voting location
Eligible voters can cast a ballot at any early voting site in their county.
Voters can find voter sites and hours in all the counties by using the early voting site search tool.
Candidate Info
Sample ballots are available through the voter search tool.
The guide will also be mailed to all NC households. Election officials do not provide information about candidates for other contests, but some media outlets and advocacy groups do. Many candidates also have websites and social media accounts.
Bring Photo ID
Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they check in to vote.
Most voters will show their driver's license, but many other forms of photo ID will be accepted. Voters who do not have a photo ID can meet the photo ID requirement by either:
- filling out a form explaining why they are unable to show ID
- showing their ID at the county board of elections office by 5 p.m.
