(The Center Square) – With just 10 days until in-person early voting begins in North Carolina, the State Board of Election voted unanimously to pass a resolution to assist with voting in the 13 most hard-hit counties.
Since Hurricane Helene first came ashore on Sept. 26, more than 230 lives have been lost across six different Southeastern states, with many still remaining missing. Damage estimates from the storm is in the tens of billions according to multiple analyses, with counties in western North Carolina being particularly devastated.
“This is an unprecedented amount of damage and destruction that’s been caused by this storm,” said board member Stacy Eggers, who lives in western North Carolina and gave an emotional statement during the board meeting. “Not only has it resulted in loss of life and personal property, but it has severely damaged the road systems, water systems, and communication systems up here in the High Country.”
Despite the damage, the board says that voting will continue.
“We will begin early voting in all 100 counties in 10 days from now, and we will hold the election on Nov. 5 in all 100 of those counties,” Eggers said. “We have a dedicated team of elections professionals across the state who are committed to making that happen.”
The resolution grants a number of counties with significant storm damage ability to modify their early voting plans, Election Day precinct sites, and adjust poll worker assignments, all by a bipartisan majority vote of the county board of elections. The county changes are subject to state board approval.
This counties include Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga and Yancey.
“The resolution would provide flexibility to the county boards of elections to ensure that they do have in person voting opportunities available to all the voters, both with early voting and with Election Day voting,” said Paul Cox, general counsel for the board.
The resolution will also allow displaced voters to drop off their absentee ballots in counties other than their own, as well as allow Multipartisan Assistance Teams to go into the devastated communities and receive absentee ballots to deliver to the county boards.
All absentee ballots must still be received by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.
The board worked together, in conjunction with county boards, to refine the measures and make sure voters still have access to vote.
“We really have two critical issues here,” said board Chairman Alan Hirsch. “One is to ensure that our citizens have access and that no one is denied the right to vote because of these logistical problems. And second, that we maintain the integrity to ensure that the count is correct and that everyone can have confidence in the ultimate outcome of the election.”
Republicans and Democrats on the board came together to support the resolution. Eggers said he is confident in the resolution and its necessity.
“We will continue to make voting accessible to the voters, whether we need four wheelers, horses, or helicopters,” he said. “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.”
Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the board, said that progress is already evident as all county offices are now open again.
“We have had ongoing response efforts with these counties to assess what their needs are and to assess how we can best continue to deliver voting to all North Carolinians,” Bell said. “We also plan to provide as many voting opportunities as we can for Election Day voting sites as well, recognizing that we may need to take voting to the people.”
The board is also working with the North Carolina Division of Emergency Management to provide for election-related aid, including procuring temporary voting facilities, generators, temporary restrooms, and any other needs that may be required to set up voting facilities.
Bell said the board will continue to address any ongoing needs as needed.
