During its meeting Tuesday afternoon, the Beaufort County Board of Elections chose a schedule for early voting for the upcoming March 15 primaries.

“Option 3 — it was the most hours. What it did, to summarize, is it extends office hours to 6 (p.m.). Their thoughts were that would be beneficial to those who work 8 to 5,” said Kellie Harris Hopkins, the county’s elections director. “It opens three satellite sites.”

Prior to its meeting, the board sought public input regarding the early voting period for the primaries.

Under Option 3 (150 hours), the Board of Elections office will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday (March 12) of the early voting period. The 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. schedule for that office includes March 3, March 4 and March 7 through March 11. Three satellite offices (Aurora, Belhaven and Chocowinity) would be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 10 and March 11 (Thursday and Friday) and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 12 (Saturday) of the early voting period.

Beginning 12 days before an election, all of the state’s 100 counties must open at least one location where eligible voters can vote early, according to Democracy North Carolina’s website (www.ncvoter.org). That process is also known as one-stop voting.

The board considered two other options. They were:

• Option 1 (114 hours): normal office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, at the Board of Elections office and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday off the early voting period; two satellite offices (Aurora and Belhaven) would be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Thursday and Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday of the early voting period.

• Option 2 (137 hours): normal office hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, at the Board of Elections office and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday of the early voting period; three satellite offices (Aurora, Belhaven and Chocowinity precincts) would be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. the Thursday and Friday and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. the last Saturday of the early voting period.

Absentee voting by mail for statewide primaries begins Jan. 25. The deadline to register to vote in the March 15 statewide primaries is Feb. 19.