Western North Carolina, recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, orchestrates its operations through the State Board of Elections to ensure the forthcoming general election proceeds seamlessly, especially for the victims of the storm. Lending a beacon of hope amidst this scenario, the board conveyed with confidence, ‘Albeit conditions vary across the storm-hit counties, we are resolute to initiate early voting from the 17th.’ This pronouncement comes as a much-awaited countdown with under 30 days left until Election Day set for Tuesday, November 5, and early voting commencing the next week.
Despite the storm’s severe blow to electricity, telecommunication, water supply, homes, and roads, all county board of elections offices were functional as of Monday, highlighting the region’s persistent march towards progress. However, the human toll of the disaster is evident in many workers grappling with ‘personal struggles’ post-Helene. Undeterred, the board remains staunch in its commitment to upholding the democratic process, envisioning innovative solutions if need be to ‘take voting to the people’.
To translate this vision into action, the five-member board unanimously agreed to pass several resolutions on Monday to rehabilitate the voting process. Reflecting the magnitude of Helene’s impact, these resolutions exclusively cater to the 13 counties worst hit by the storm. Some of these counties severely affected in regards to their early and Election Day voting sites include Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey.
While the board’s attention is concentrated on these counties, it is important to note that the destructive reach of the storm extended to as many as 25 counties. These affected regions encapsulate over 1.2 million registered voters, a sizable electorate whose voting process will likely be reshaped by Helene. In these collective counties, over 40,000 absentee ballots have already been dispatched to voters.
A lot can be inferred about the political leanings of the affected counties based on the affiliations of their registered voters. Interestingly, unaffiliated voters form the largest group, with Republicans shadowing them closely and Democrats trailing significantly. This trend parallels the overall political preferences of Western North Carolina, where the majority of its numerous counties favored Donald Trump in the 2020 elections.
So, what reforms are anticipated in the voting process? For in-person voting, the county boards are enabled to tweak their early voting sites and hours, provided they reach a bipartisan consensus. The boards will be transparent with the media and community relief centers about any such changes. County boards may also adjust the Election Day voting schedule, or even extend voting to another county.
With the board’s endorsement, voters may cast their ballots at any site within their county, given that a bipartisan majority supports this. There is no concrete deadline for county boards to implement these adjustments, offering them the flexibility to best respond to their residents’ needs.
For absentee ballots, the board has permitted these to be requested in person up until the day before Election Day in the aforementioned 13 counties. There’s also provision made for voters to submit their absentee ballots to any county board, not just the one they’re assigned. In such instances, the recipient board will accord it due protocol, forwarding it to the appropriate county board for processing and counting.
The board’s resolutions also extend support to those needing assistance to deliver their ballots. Termed ‘Multipartisan Assistance Teams’, these trained personnel would be ready to assist voters with returning ballots, especially in places like disaster shelters.
Amid these changes, there’s no alteration or extension to the voter registration deadline. However, voters do have the option to register in-person during early voting, a window that extends from Tuesday, October 17, to Saturday, November 2.
Despite the cries from some Republican leaders stoking alarms about election security, the board of elections reassures journalists that the election will be airtight despite the effects of Helene. They dismiss any misapprehensions about election and voting security while striving to serve all voters in a nonpartisan manner. The board iterated, ‘Irrespective of political affiliations, we will fulfill our duty to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to cast their ballot.’,
Beyond the resolutions in place, the board has requisitioned a substantial amount of approximately $2 million from the legislature in response to the damage wrought by Helene. This substantial amount will be utilized effectively to ensure a resilient and efficient electoral process.