Board Meetings and Minutes
Below are scheduled meetings of the Catawba County Board of Elections. The board may also call other meetings during the year, which will be listed here and posted at the Board of Elections office located in Newton at 145 Government Drive--across from the Justice Center, beside the Parking Deck. All meetings are open to the public and conducted at the Board of Elections office unless otherwise noted.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES - Individuals needing assistance should contact Board of Elections at 828-464-2424 within a reasonable time prior to the meeting. Participation in public meetings is without regard to race, ethnicity, sex, religion, age, or disability.
Minutes are posted below once approved at a following meeting. Board minutes are maintained at the Board of Elections office and are open for public inspection during normal business hours.
2026 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
| Date | Time | Minutes/Agenda (click links for approved minutes) |
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| 2026 Partisan Primary | ||
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February 10 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other business - Agenda |
February 17 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other business - Agenda |
February 24 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
March 2 | 5:00 PM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other business - Agenda |
| March 3 | 8:00 AM | |
March 3 | 5:00 PM | |
March 6 | 4:00 PM | |
March 13 | 11:00 AM | Canvass, other business - Agenda |
| 2026 General Election | ||
September 29 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
October 6 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
October 13 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
October 20 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
October 27 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
November 2 | 5:00 PM | Approve Absentee ballot applications, other busines - Agenda |
November 3 | 5:00 PM | General Election: Election Returns, other business - Agenda |
November 6 | 4:00 PM | Approve Provisional Ballots, other busines - Agenda |
November 13 | 11:00 AM | Canvass, other busines - Agenda |
Note: dates and times are subject to change
2025 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
2024 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
2023 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
| Date | Time | Minutes/Agenda (click the links for approved minutes) |
| February 21 | 8:15 AM | |
| July 18 | 8:15 AM | |
| August 22 | 8:15 AM | |
| October 3 | 8:15 AM | Hearing of felon removal challenge, other business - Agenda
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| October 24 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| October 31 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| November 6 | 5:00 PM | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| November 7 | 5:00 PM | |
| November 16 | 8:15 AM | Approve Absentee Supplementals, Provisionals, other business - Agenda |
| November 17 | 11:00 AM | |
December 20 | 8:15 AM | Hearing of Candidate Challange - Agenda |
2022 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
2021 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
2020 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
| Date | Time | Minutes/Agenda (click the links for approved minutes) |
| January 13 | 8:15am | Special Meeting: candidate challenge
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| February 11 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| February 18 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| February 25 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| March 2 | 5:00pm | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| March 3 | 4:30pm | Election Returns, other business |
| March 12 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot and Provisional Applications, other business - Agenda |
| March 13 | 11:00am | Canvass for the March 2020 Presidential Primary - Agenda |
| March 26 | 2:00pm | Special Personnel Meeting |
| May 8 | 3:30pm | Approve Budget, other business - Agenda |
| July 13 | 8:15am | Approve One-Stop Schedule for General Election, other business - Agenda |
| July 21 | 8:15am | Approve purchase of voting equipment, other business - Agenda Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| September 29 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| October 6 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| October 13 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| October 20 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| October 27 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| November 2 | 5:00pm | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business |
| November 3 | 4:30pm | Election Returns, other business Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| November 12 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Supplementals and Provisionals, other business Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| November 13 | 11:00am | Canvass for the November 2020 Presidential Election - Agenda Members of the public were able to listen to proceedings via telephone |
| November 19 | 2:00pm | Special Meeting - Preliminary Hearing |
| November 23 | 8:00am | Recount of Supreme Court Chief Justice Seat 1 |
| November 25 | 3:00pm | Protest Hearing: Cheri Beasley |
| December 8 | 8:30am | Hand-to-eye recount - Supreme Court Chief Justice Seat 1 |
Notes on COVID-19 pandemic:
- One-Stop Early Voting for the 2020 Presidential Primary began February 13th.
- On February 13th, the CDC cofirms the 15th case of COVID-19 in the U.S. The first death in the U.S. is reported February 29th.
- The 2020 Presidential Primary was held March 3 with canvass on March 13th.
- March 15th, states began implementing shutdowns in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19
- September 22nd, the reported death toll in the U.S. surpasses 200,000
- September 28th, the reported death toll from COVID-19 reaches more than 1 million worldwide.
- One-Stop Early Voting for the 2020 Presidential Election began October 15th with social-distancing protocols in place.
- A record number of Absentee-by-ballots were processed. Issued: 14,970, Voted: 10,482 (12.5% of ballots cast)
- The 2020 Presidential Election was held November 3rd with canvass on November 13th.
- November 4th, one day after the presidential election, the U.S. reports 100,000 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours.
- November 20th, U.S. COVID-19 case numbers surge past 11 million.
- December 3rd, vaccination program began for healthcare professionals and the elderly
- December 14th, the reported death toll in the U.S. surpasses 300,000
- December 31st, one year anniversary of the first reported case of COVID-19, 2.8 million people in the U.S. had received a vaccine dose.
COVID-19 timeline information obtained fromCDC.GOV
2019 Scheduled Election Board Meetings
| Date | Time | Agenda (click the links below for Approved Minutes) |
| March 13 | 8:15am | Board Members Oath of Office, Organizational Meeting |
| April 22 | 8:15am | Approve purchase or lease of One-Stop Balotar system (ballot on demand) |
| July 26 | 8:15am | Approve One-Stop plans for Municipal Elections, other business |
| August 1 | 8:15am | Special Meeting: candidate residency hearing. Location: Commissioners Meeting Room, 2nd floor, Catawba Co. Justice Center, 100 Government Dr., Newton |
| August 19 | 8:15am | Special Meeting: written decision on candidate residency hearing. Town of Catawba Candidate Challenge - Board decisions:
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| August 20 | 8:15am | |
| September 17 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business |
| September 24 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business |
| October 1 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business |
| October 7 | 5:00pm | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business |
| October 8 | 4:30pm | Election Returns, other business |
| October 14 | 9:00am | Discretionary Recount of Hickory Ward 3 ballots |
| October 14 | 11:00am | Canvass for City of Hickory Primary, other business |
| October 22 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| October 29 | 8:15am | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| November 4 | 5:00pm | Approve Absentee Ballot Applications, other business - Agenda |
| November 5 | 4:30pm | Election Returns, other business - Agenda |
| November 15 | 11:00am | Canvass for the Municipal and Schools Elections, other business - Agenda |
| November 22 | 8:15am | Recount: Town of Maiden Mayor race - Agenda |
The following are scans of the minute books housed at the Catawba County Board of Elections Office | ||||
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| Board minutes are maintained at the Board of Elections office and are open for public inspection during normal business hours. Below are digitized scans of the minute books for each year between 1974 and 2018. | ||||
NCGS § 163-30. County boards of elections; appointments; terms of office; qualifications; vacancies; oath of office; instructional meetings.
Minutes of the meetings are maintained at the Board of Elections office and are open for public inspection during normal business hours.