IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

Mark Zuckerberg Wants You! To Register to Vote

Facebook users in North Carolina are being reminded of when and where to register to vote in an effort to spur people to participate during election season.

(TNS) -- Facebook users might be familiar with using the social media site to learn about the latest gaffs and gambits of their favorite — and most reviled — politicians.

But Facebook is taking its political involvement a step further this election season by reminding North Carolina voters about important voter registration deadlines when they sign into their profiles.

"What we’re doing is, at the top of your feed if you're signing into Facebook, you'll see a post that says, 'The voter registration deadline is approaching. Are you registered? You can click here to find out,'" Facebook Spokesman Alec Gerlach told The Herald. " ... This is part of an effort to increase civic engagement through Facebook."

The messages began appearing on Friday, and Lee County Elections Director Nancy Kimble said it was important to register by Feb. 19 if voters wanted to participate in the primary election on March 15.

"The cut-off will be next Friday at 5 p.m.," Kimble said Friday. "And that's for general registration, change of address, change of party."

Under North Carolina law, registered Republicans will receive Republican ballots, registered Democrats will receive Democratic ballots, registered Libertarians will receive Libertarian ballots and unaffiliated voters can choose any of the three or an unaffiliated ballot, which contains only the Connect NC Public Improvement Bond.

And while same-day registration isn't available for the primary itself, Kimble said it will be available during the early voting period, which lasts from March 3-12.

"We'll be open [for voting] from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday through Friday," Kimble said of the early voting period. "On the first Saturday, we'll be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and on the second Saturday, we'll be open from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. We have two voting sites, one here at the [Lee County Board of Elections], 225 S. Steele St. and one at the [McSwain Extension Education and Agriculture Center], 2420 Tramway Rd."

One of the links on Facebook's announcement will provide resources on how to register, and Kimble outlined a few different ways.

The easiest way would be if you're computer savvy, to go on our website and fill out a registration, print it off and bring it in," she said. "Or you can come pick one up at the office or call us [at (919) 718-4646] and we'll send you one. Sending one might be a little iffy in a week's time. I think the other options are better."

Gerlach said Facebook has been a boon for candidates and voters alike, and that social media has helped create a two-way dialogue between elected officials and those they represent.

"I think you can kind of look at the trajectory you've already seen over past few years where a Facebook page was kind of an add-on to a campaign in the past," he said. "Now it's essential. It's a way candidates from Donald Trump to Hillary Clinton and even local elected officials are engaging directly."

Kimble applauded efforts to increase voter registration, and she emphasized the importance of voting — especially in municipal elections.

"Every vote counts," Kimble said. "A lot of people don't think their vote counts, but every vote counts. We've had a few [elections] across the state during municipal elections, a few were won by a coin toss."

Kimble added that it wasn't enough just to vote and urged citizens to research the pool of candidates beforehand.

"[Voters] have a say in who takes office, and it's very important," she said. "But they also need to learn what those candidates stand for, what those candidates views are. They need to be informed."

©2016 The Sanford Herald (Sanford, N.C.) Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.