TL/DR –
In response to Hurricane Helene’s devastation, the North Carolina Board of Elections passed a unanimous resolution to ensure the voting process remains secure and functional. The resolution grants officials in 13 severely affected counties the flexibility to adjust early voting and Election Day polling sites’ locations and times, and introduces one-off changes to absentee ballot rules, giving displaced residents more options for returning their ballots. The board sought input from county boards, state emergency management personnel, and the US Postal Service in drafting the resolution.
Reliable elections guaranteed despite Hurricane Helene devastation in 13 North Carolina counties.
Affirming Hurricane Helene won’t hamper the election, the North Carolina Board of Elections approved a measure giving officials in 13 affected counties the flexibility to uphold secure elections in the face of widespread damage.
To respond to ground realities, the board passed an emergency resolution allowing 13 county boards to adjust early voting and Election Day polling site locations and times. The resolution also altered absentee ballot rules, giving displaced residents more ballot returning options.
The changes aim to help officials in Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey counties conduct elections under challenging conditions while offering voters robust voting options, according to Karen Brinson Bell, NCBOE’s executive director.
Despite counties still recovering from the storm, Brinson Bell praised the significant strides made. All county boards of elections are open and receiving mail. The early voting period is expected to begin as scheduled on Oct. 17 in all 100 counties of the state.
The state board used county boards, state emergency management personnel, and the US Postal Service’s input to draft the resolution. It requires a bipartisan majority of each county board to approve any changes, but Brinson Bell expects unanimous approval of most changes.
The resolution allows for adjustments in early voting, Election Day procedures, voting by mail, staffing issues, and enhanced communication. Election officials are determined to overcome huge challenges to ensure a close-to-normal election, Brinson Bell said.
Despite dealing with personal loss and daily challenges, election officials remain committed. The state board may seek further changes based on circumstances in these counties and request additional funding from the General Assembly when lawmakers reconvene in Raleigh this week. Brinson Bell expressed confidence in the state’s ability to deliver on its electoral promises, stating, “We’ve got this.”
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