North Carolina implements early in-person voting as mountain areas still recover from Helene

Early in-person voting begins Thursday in North Carolina, one of seven hotly contested states in the 2024 presidential election.

Some North Carolina communities are making last-minute adjustments to their 2024 election plans due to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene this month.

In Buncombe County, one of the counties hit hardest by the storm, the Board of Elections approved new times and locations for early voting. Early in-person voting begins Thursday morning, and polls will remain open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Nov. 1.

“We have a new plan for early voting,” Buncombe Board of Elections Chairman Jake Quinn said in a statement. “Please everyone, spread the word.”

Buncombe also needs to adjust polling places as some are no longer suitable as polling places or are more difficult to reach. The county has released a list of locations where early voting is now possible.

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Workers, community members and business owners clear debris after Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

According to state records, Buncombe County voted decisively for President Biden in the 2020 election. Biden received 96,515 votes compared to former President Trump's 62,412, for an overall split of 60% to 40%.

The video shows a family affected by Hurricane Milton and dogs rescued from flooding

Nearby Watauga County also released its own revised early voting schedule this month. The county elections board says there have been no changes to any of its polling locations, but they will now expand their hours and be open on weekends during early voting. Residents have access to polling stations Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Drone footage shows hurricane damage after Helene passed through Asheville, North Carolina, on September 29. Asheville is located in Buncombe County. (Reuters/Marco Bello)

“We are grateful to all the people who worked so hard to rebuild our county’s infrastructure so quickly. It's truly amazing to see how people from all over the country step up to help strangers in need. That's what America is all about. This helped.” Minimize disruption to voters so every voice can be heard. We would also like to thank all of the poll workers who offered to cover the new weekend shifts,” the board said in a statement.

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Biden also won Watauga County in the 2020 election, receiving 53% of the vote compared to 44% for Trump.

A man fills out a ballot at a voting booth in Mt. Gilead, North Carolina, on May 17, 2022.

State election officials will hold a news conference Thursday about additional measures they are taking to ensure the election runs smoothly.

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They say that around 25 districts were severely affected by Helene and that they have 76 polling stations. Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the NC State Board of Elections, and Corinne Duncan, Buncombe County elections director, will lead the press conference.

The majority of North Carolina voters in the 25 counties affected by Helene are Republicans, according to the state's voter registration records. Officials say there are 482,930 registered Republicans living in the area, compared to 294,106 Democrats. There are also 492,546 independent voters.

North Carolina is one of the most competitive states this cycle

North Carolina last voted for a Democratic president in 2008, when then-Sen. Barack Obama won the state by 0.3 points, or 14,177 votes.

Trump won a convincing 3.7-point victory in 2016, but that margin shrank to 1.3 points against Biden in 2020.

Late last month, the Fox News poll showed the two 2024 presidential candidates separated by just one point, with the Democratic nominee for Vice President Harris at 49% and the Republican nominee for former President Trump at 50%. North Carolina is number one in the Fox News Power Rankings.

The state has become more competitive with population growth. Over the last decade, North Carolina added about 1.1 million people, the fourth-largest increase of any state.

Much of this growth occurred in urban and suburban areas, such as the solidly blue Mecklenburg and Wake counties.

The pandemic brought more wealthy, urban Americans from surrounding states, and there are pockets of college voters, too.

While rural areas have seen some population decline, they remain a significant portion of the state's vote and overwhelmingly vote Republican.

How to vote in North Carolina

This is a guide to registration and early voting. Comprehensive and up-to-date information on eligibility to vote, processes and deadlines can be found at Vote.gov and the election website for North Carolina.

Vote by mail

North Carolina began mail voting for registered voters in September. Applicants do not need to provide an excuse to receive a ballot. The state must receive a ballot request by Oct. 29, and that ballot must be delivered to county clerks by Nov. 5.

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Early in-person voting

Early in-person voting begins October 17th. Check the state's website for more information. The last day for in-person voting is November 2nd.

Voter registration

North Carolina residents have until October 11 to register to vote online or by mail. You can also register in person during early voting between October 17th and November 2nd.