County line confusion: Catawba, Lincoln boundary changes to 2020 Census line

DENVER, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) – There’s a lot of confusion about where the county boundary is for Catawba and Lincoln counties.

The N.C. General Assembly voted to change it to the 2020 Census line after the line was moved earlier this year.

On Friday, we found Mia Traugott and her husband moving into their new home. Traugott said everything was fine until after they closed on the home, they found out they were living in a different county.

“It never even occurred to me. It’s just something that you don’t really think about,” Traugott said. “When the attorney went to go record the deed down at the county courthouse, they said no, no, it’s not Lincoln County. It is now Catawba, and it was a recent change.”

They live right at the county line – just like Susan Weber.

“I’m now understanding that I will now be Catawba County,” Weber said.

Weber said she has lived in her home for over 30 years. She said she just got a letter in the mail informing her of the change.

The State Board of Elections told the counties they needed to figure out where the line was about two years ago because of voting discrepancies. Both counties did a geodetic survey, which shifted the boundary in February, but the state has now voted to have it changed to the 2020 Census line.

“Confused… just a little confused,” Weber said.

Queen City News spoke on the phone with officials from both counties who said they’re trying to figure out exactly where the 2020 Census line is because it might be different than anything already used.

“Well, there’s just a lot of questions I don’t know enough about the policies and stuff in Catawba County, I don’t know where I would vote,” Weber said.

State Rep. Heather Rhyne from Lincoln County shared on social media, “After six months of conversations and consulting with various attorneys this is what had to be done.”

Traugott said it doesn’t matter now, they’re just glad to be moving into their new home.

“Lincoln or Catawba, they’re both great,” Traugott said.