Voting Sites Adjusted For 13 Hurricane-Hit Counties In North Carolina

In response to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina Board of Elections has unanimously voted to modify voting locations and procedures for 13 affected counties. Early voting is set to begin across the state on October 17, but counties severely impacted by the storm will see new measures put in place to ensure voting access.

The 13 counties facing changes include Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey. Local election offices are now empowered to adjust voting sites, extend hours, and add more absentee ballot drop-off locations to accommodate voters in these areas.

Paul Cox, the General Counsel for the Board of Elections, noted that staffing at polling places may be an issue, particularly in storm-affected counties. To resolve this, the resolution allows for election officials to bring in poll workers from other counties and reassign staff to different voting locations as needed.

Alan Hirsch, the Chair of the Board, stressed that the goal of the resolution is twofold: to guarantee that citizens can vote despite the hurricaneā€™s aftermath and to maintain the integrity of the vote count. The bipartisan effort to pass the resolution underscores the importance of ensuring access to the ballot in challenging circumstances.

County election offices are open again, and officials are moving quickly to implement these changes before early voting starts.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR