(The Center Square) – With five weeks left until Election Day, the North Carolina State Board of Elections and staff are poised to ensure that voting continues and voters are assisted as needed, even in the midst of unprecedented damage from Hurricane Helene.
“This storm is like nothing we’ve seen in our lifetime in North Carolina,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the board.
The counties in western North Carolina were particularly hard hit, but Bell said the board will do everything in its power so voting continues.
“Mountain people are strong and the election people who serve them are tough and resilient too,” she said. “We’ve battled through hurricanes and tropical storms and still held safe and secure elections.”
On Monday, the board voted unanimously to allow counties affected by the disaster to delay absentee voting board meetings, which were supposed to start Tuesday.
In a press conference Tuesday morning, Bell said the meeting was likely the first of many.
“This will be an ongoing process,” she said.
As of Tuesday morning, 12 election offices remain closed. The priority of the board is to ensure the safety of election and poll voters and that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to, Bell said.
Across the state, nearly 250,000 absentee ballots have already been requested. The board is working with the U.S. Postal Service to make sure mail-in ballots are secure and will stay in communication with the agency to see if there are other steps that are necessary to ensure the mail-in voting process continues.
For those voters who are displaced, the board advises that absentee ballots can be redelivered to a new location, if necessary.
Bell said that special emergency kits will be deployed to election offices that are having internet and cell service issues, which are in four or five counties. The state election board has 10 of the kits available.
Not only is the board partnering with the postal service, but it is also working with emergency management and federal authorities to determine what counties are most at risk and in need of assistance.
Bell said she hopes voters will continue to have confidence in the security of the election, even with the disruptions.
“I hope this helps them have more faith in the results and what we do,” Bell said. “We might have to do it a little differently,” but she is confident that the results will be accurate.
In initial reports, all county election offices are believed to be intact, Bell said. The board has also confirmed that essential voting materials like ballots and voting machines are secure.
They are not as sure about polling centers, but Bell said they are poised to look into alternatives, including temporary polling centers, if necessary.
Though the situation remains fluid, Bell says the board has processes in place ready to address any and all needs of counties.
“We feel it doesn’t matter if it’s this type of storm … there are many things that can be disruptive, but we still figure out how to proceed,” she said.
Voter registration will continue as normal, as the main objective for the state board is to get county boards of elections up and running.
She encourages voters to use local media, radio stations, and ncsbe.gov to keep up with the latest voting information.
While the election is coming up, Bell assures voters that the board and the state Legislature will continue to monitor the situation and what steps are necessary over the next few weeks.
“We do have some time still,” Bell said.
Early in-person voting is scheduled to begin in 17 days.
