What's on the Marvin ballot, where to vote and when early voting closes.
Union County is asking voters whether it may borrow up to $200 million to build a new jail. The county estimates that repaying the debt would raise property taxes by $31.10 a year for every $100,000 of property value.
The same ballot fills four of the five seats on the Union County Board of Commissioners, both school board seats Firethorne votes on and the N.C. Senate and N.C. House seats that represent Firethorne. There is no Village of Marvin race this year.
Early voting ends Saturday, October 31, at 3 p.m. Until then you can vote at any of the county's nine early voting sites, three of them with Waxhaw addresses. On Election Day, Tuesday, November 3, Firethorne votes at Marvin Elementary School.
Early voting ends Saturday
Early voting is open through Saturday, October 31:
- Wednesday through Friday: 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
There is no Sunday voting, and nothing on Monday, November 2. You can use any early voting site in the county. The three with Waxhaw addresses (VFD is a volunteer fire department):
- Wesley Chapel VFD Station 42, 8821 New Town Road, Waxhaw
- Waxhaw Recreation Barn, 5412 Waxhaw-Marvin Road, Waxhaw
- Wesley Chapel VFD Station 41, 315 Waxhaw-Indian Trail Road South, Waxhaw
The other six are Edwards Memorial Library in Marshville, Fairview Town Hall, Hemby Bridge VFD and Stallings VFD, both with Indian Trail addresses, Mineral Springs VFD, and the Union County Library's Griffin Room in Monroe. The Union County Board of Elections schedule has the addresses.
Voters will be asked to show a photo ID. If you aren't registered, you can register and vote in the same visit at an early voting site; bring an ID or a document that shows your name and current address. Same-day registration isn't available on Election Day.
Through Tuesday, October 27, the county's nine sites had taken 43,003 ballots, according to the board's turnout page.
Where Firethorne votes on Election Day
Firethorne is in Union County precinct 28B. Its polling place is Marvin Elementary School, 9700 Marvin School Road, Waxhaw. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and anyone in line at 7:30 can still vote. On Election Day you have to vote at your assigned precinct.
Most of the rest of Marvin is split among three other precincts:
- 28A: Sandy Ridge Elementary School, 10101 Waxhaw Manor Drive
- 28C: Marvin AME Zion Church, 1525 Crane Road
- 28D: Kensington Elementary School, 8701 Kensington Drive
All four precincts carry the same races. To confirm your own precinct and see your sample ballot, use the state's Voter Search.
If you already have a mail ballot, it must reach the Union County Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on November 3. The deadline to request one passed on October 20.
Firethorne homes on the South Carolina side of the state line vote in South Carolina, so this ballot isn't theirs.
The jail bond
The county question asks whether Union County may borrow up to $200 million to design, build, furnish and equip a new jail, with property taxes raised as needed to repay it.
The ballot spells out the cost. Over the life of the bonds, at the highest interest rate charged for similar debt in the last 20 years, the county estimates the total at $312,224,000: the $200 million plus $112,224,000 in interest. That is where the estimate of $31.10 a year for every $100,000 of property value comes from.
Union County Board of Commissioners
The commission is the county's governing board: five members, elected countywide, serving staggered four-year terms. Four of the five seats are on this ballot, in two contests.
Three full-term seats. Vote for up to three of four:
- Christina Dupont, Democrat, of Monroe.
- Sam Harris, Republican, of Monroe.
- Brian W. Helms, Republican, of Monroe. He chairs the board now.
- Melissa M. Merrell, Republican, of Matthews. She serves on the board now.
One unexpired seat, meaning the remainder of a term already under way. Vote for one:
- Madeleine Byl, Democrat, of Monroe.
- Errol Wedra, Republican, of Waxhaw. He serves on the board now.
Union County Board of Education
Union County Public Schools is run by a nine-member board. Firethorne is in school board District 6, so its voters get two school board races.
District 6. Kathy Heintel holds the seat now and is not on the ballot. Vote for one:
- Evan Metaxatos, Democrat, of Waxhaw.
- Brandi Smith, Republican, of Waxhaw.
At-large, elected countywide. None of the board's current at-large members is on the ballot. Vote for one:
- Linda O. Robinson, Republican, of Monroe.
- Alexis Stadler, Democrat, of Waxhaw.
N.C. Senate, District 35
Two candidates, two-year term. District 35 covers parts of Union and Cabarrus counties.
- Todd Johnson, Republican, of Monroe. He holds the seat now.
- Christine E. Winward, Democrat, of Waxhaw.
N.C. House, District 68
Two candidates, two-year term. All of Marvin, Firethorne included, sits in District 68. Union County's other two House districts, 55 and 69, are not on Marvin ballots.
- Derek Warriner, Democrat, of Waxhaw.
- David Willis, Republican, of Waxhaw. He holds the seat now.
Three constitutional amendments
Each asks for a vote For or Against. The ballot describes them this way:
- Photo ID: "to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting."
- Income tax cap: "to keep the State income tax rate from being raised higher than three and one-half percent (3.5%)."
- Property tax limit: "requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments."
The rest of the ballot
U.S. Senate (six-year term): Shannon W. Bray, Libertarian; Roy Cooper, Democrat; Michael Dublin, Green; Michael Whatley, Republican.
U.S. House, District 8 (two-year term): Mark Harris, Republican; Colby Watson, Democrat; Bo Whitehead, Green.
N.C. Supreme Court, Associate Justice Seat 1 (eight-year term): Anita Earls, Democrat; Sarah Stevens, Republican.
N.C. Court of Appeals (eight-year terms):
- Seat 1: John S. Arrowood, Democrat; Michael C. Byrne, Republican.
- Seat 2: George Cooper Bell, Republican; Tobias (Toby) Hampson, Democrat.
- Seat 3: Craig Collins, Republican; Christine Marie Walczyk, Democrat.
One candidate each: Eddie Cathey, Republican, for sheriff; Wendy Maynard, Republican, for clerk of superior court; and Trey Robison, Republican, for district attorney, District 30.
Union Soil and Water Conservation District supervisor: two seats, two names on the ballot (Wayne S. Moser and Taylor Moyer, no party listed), plus a write-in line.
Early voting closes at 3 p.m. Saturday. Election Day is Tuesday at Marvin Elementary.