LUMBERTON — In anticipation of a large voter turnout for the General Election in November, the Robeson County Board of Elections has approved three satellite polling sites to be used during the early, one-stop voting period.

The three sites will be used in addition to the Board of Elections Office at 108 W. Elizabethtown Road. State law requires that county Board of Elections offices be open for one-stop voting.

Dock Locklear, director of the Robeson County Board of Elections, said that the satellite polling sites in Robeson County will be the Fairmont Fire Hall on South Main Street; the Pembroke Public Library on Blaine Street; and the Red Springs Community Center on Cross Street.

The polling sites were approved by a majority of the county’s three-member Board of Elections on Tuesday. Those voting in favor of the sites were Democrats Joshua Malcolm, the board’s chairman, and Lisa Douglas, the board’s secretary. Opposing adding the additional sites was the board’s lone Republican, Steve Stone.

Stone told The Robesonian that he voted against the satellite sites as he has done in the past because he believes early voting in general can encourage voter fraud. He also said that operating additional polling sites is an expense to the county.

“Maintaining the integrity of the ballot is my main concern,” Stone said.

Locklear said that because the board’s decision to open the satellite early voting sites was not unanimous, an appeal must be made to the state Board of Elections to approve the designated polling sites. State law requires that the establishment of one-stop voting sites be a unanimous board decision, Locklear said.

Early voting is also called one-stop voting because first time eligible voters can both register to vote and cast their ballots on the same day.

The early voting period for the Nov. 6 General Election begins Oct. 18 and ends on Nov. 3.

Reach staff writer Bob Shiles at 910-272-6117 or bshiles@heartlandpublications.com.