Early voting continues through March 12

Saturday, March 12, is the final day of early voting in advance of the March 15 primary; University City Regional Library is an early voting site. Its location makes it convenient for faculty and staff members who decide to cast their ballots before the normal election date.

Jeffrey Leak, president of the Faculty Council and professor of English, voted early, and he encourages fellow employees to engage in this civic exercise.

“It’s easy to take this right for granted. We need to take part in the process of choosing our representatives at all levels,” said Leak. He added that this year there is an important initiative on the ballot – the Connect NC bond package that, if passed, will benefit state universities, community colleges and parks.

UNC Charlotte would receive funding for a new, $90 million science facility on campus through the bond initiative. The University has accounted for more than 60 percent of the UNC system enrollment growth in the last five years, and 50 percent of its students with declared majors are in STEM fields.

Mecklenburg County has 17 early voting sites where residents can cast ballots early through Saturday, March 12. Here are links for early voting information for Cabarrus and Union counties. The N.C. Board of Elections also has information on voting sites. For individuals who missed the February deadline to register to vote, they can register and vote during the early voting period, March 3-12, with proper identification.

Learn more about UNC Charlotte’s civic engagement efforts at the 49er Democracy Experience website. To join in the conversation on social media or send in “I voted” selfies, use #49ersVote.