Alex Zachman
Voters talking to campaign workers on their way into the polls at Lead Mine Elementary School in North Raleigh, on Election Day, Tuesday.
Early voting has begun for the Nov. 7 runoff election between Mayor Nancy McFarlane (Independent) and Charles Francis (Democrat). The mayoral runoff will be the only race on the ballot.
According to the Wake County Board of Elections, 881 total votes have been cast in the three-day period of early voting. As of now, there is only one voting site, located at the Wake County Board of Elections office.
Election Day on Oct. 10 saw 368 individuals utilize the Pullen Community Center voting site, the location where most students on campus are registered. A total of 52,868 people voted in the municipal election for the office of mayor.
Since incumbent Mayor McFarlane received 48.40 percent, less than the required majority to avoid a runoff, Francis announced on Oct. 15 that he would file for a runoff election.
“I want to continue to provide steady, dependable, reasoned leadership that has proven to move Raleigh forward,” McFarlane said in a debate on Friday. “I would be grateful for your help.”
McFarlane garnered approximately 6,000 more votes than Francis and 18,000 more than challenger Paul Fitts (Republican).
“The incumbent has run for mayor four times, and in each election, her vote total has gone down,” Francis said at a press conference on Oct. 15.
McFarlane received 61 percent of the vote in 2011, 72 percent in 2013 and 74 percent in 2015.
Fitts announced on his personal Facebook page that he is endorsing Francis for the runoff. The Wake County GOP is not making an official endorsement of a candidate.
“My decision to support Charles Francis For Raleigh, was my own,” Fitts said in a post. “Not only is Charles more in-tune with my fiscal beliefs, he is simply a GOOD AND HONEST MAN.”
Until Nov. 1, the only early voting site is the Wake County Board of Elections office, located at 337 S. Salisbury St. Hours at the site are weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Five additional sites will open on Saturday, Nov. 4.
More information on Francis and McFarlane can be found in Technician’s voter guide, and on Dialogue with Technician podcasts available on iTunes, Overcast and technicianonline.com.