by Hannah Vinueza McClellan, EducationNC
October 8, 2024
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina State Board of Elections recently said in an emergency resolution that in 13 western North Carolina counties, “the infrastructure for elections administration and voters’ accessibility to polling places and mail service… remain severely disrupted as a result of the disaster and will continue to be so disrupted throughout the election.”
As a result, the Board voted on Monday to give the following 13 counties broad authority to change their election plans: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey.
“These counties report that not all of their scheduled early voting sites or election day voting sites will be available due to damage from the storm, inaccessibility, the site’s current use for disaster response, or the likely unavailability of sufficient staff,” the emergency resolution says.
The resolution, which was unanimously approved by the bipartisan board, allows the 13 counties to change their early voting and Election Day polling sites, pending a “bipartisan majority vote” by their local board of elections.
Twenty-five counties in western North Carolina, including the 13 listed above, were included in a disaster declaration following the storm. According to the Board, these 25 counties represent nearly 1.3 million registered voters.
The resolution also gives local boards greater flexibility in appointing poll workers and expands options to receive and deliver absentee ballots for voters in the affected counties. It also expands the use of Multipartisan Assistance Teams, which typically assist voters in assisted living facilities with requesting and completing absentee ballots. Under the resolution, counties will be allowed to send those teams to disaster shelters to help displaced residents.
“Put simply, these measures will help eligible voters in the affected areas cast their ballot either in-person or by mail,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “And they will help county boards of elections in western North Carolina administer this election under extraordinarily difficult conditions. …Today’s actions allow us to move forward, adapt to the circumstances these counties and voters face, and ensure every eligible voter is able to cast their ballot in a safe and secure manner.”
Brinson Bell said the Board has “every intention of starting early voting as scheduled on Thursday, Oct. 17 in all 100 counties.”
She said the Board will continue working with emergency management officials, local county boards of elections, and the U.S. Postal Service “to ensure robust voting options for absentee and Election Day voting.”
All county board of election offices are now open for business, according to a News & Observer report, after 14 were closed last week.
Of the 40 early voting sites across the 13 impacted counties, Brinson Bell said it was not yet clear how many sites would be unusable due to damage and staffing issues.
“We will continue to make voting accessible to voters,” said Stacy “Four” Eggers, a Republican board member, according to the N&O. “Whether we need four-wheelers, horses or helicopters, this disaster highlights the need for consistency in our work and making sure that we get to the locations that the voters expect us to be.”
You can read the full emergency resolution here.
Below, you can also find tips and resources for voting in the 2024 General Election after Helene, pulled from the State Board of Election”s website.
Absentee voting
The state emergency resolution allows voters within the 13 counties to request an absentee ballot in person at their county board of elections office, even if they already requested a ballot. This is to make sure voters who may have lost their absentee ballot in the storm can still complete the form.
The state resolution also allows affected voters to turn in their absentee ballots to any county board of elections office, instead of just the one in their home county. Voters can deliver their absentee ballots by mail or in person up until 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5.
Voters who have been displaced in the storm can also request an absentee ballot to be delivered to their new location. If you have already requested an absentee ballot and need it to be sent to a new location, contact your county board of elections to spoil your current ballot and reissue a ballot to your new location.
You can request an absentee ballot online at the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal.
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Voter registration
In North Carolina, Friday, Oct. 11 is the deadline to register or to change your voter registration to a new location.
If you have a state driver’s license, you can register online at the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). You can also download, print, and fill out the registration form:
Voters can also register in person at an early voting site. To do so, you will need an official document showing your voting address.
Any North Carolina voter can check their voter registration status using the state’s voter Search tool.
Voter residency
In North Carolina, you must have lived at your residence as of 30 days before the election to vote there — which is by Sunday, Oct. 6.
Here are the scenarios the state Board lists on its website to help determine where you should list your residency for voting:
- If you move by Oct. 6 with no intent to return (or you’re uncertain), you can register to vote in your new location.
- If you move after Oct. 6, even with no plans to return, you should vote using your prior residence.
- If you are only moving temporarily and plan to return, keep voting using your prior residence.
Voter photo ID
In North Carolina, voters must present a valid photo ID such as a driver’s license or a United States passport. A list of acceptable IDs can be found here.
If you lost your photo ID due to Helene, you have options:
- Fill out a Photo ID Exception Form at your voting site or send the form back with your absentee ballot. (A blank Exception Form will arrive with your absentee packet.) Check the box for “Exception 3: Victim of a Natural Disaster.” Make sure to sign the form.
- Go to your county board of elections office. If you are a registered voter, they can take your photo and print an acceptable ID on the spot. For details, go to Get a Free Voter Photo ID.
- Get a free ID from an NCDMV office in your area. For details, see State IDs | NCDMV.
All voters will be allowed to cast a ballot regardless of if they present a photo ID or not, though voters without an ID will have to vote with a provisional ballot.
You can find more information about North Carolina’s photo ID requirement here.
You can also find the most updated information on resources for voters and counties impacted by Helene on the state Board’s website.
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