NC Election Officials Address Challenges After Storm Damage

NC Election Officials Address Challenges After Storm Damage \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ North Carolina election officials are determined to ensure voting access despite significant damage from Hurricane Helene. With 12 election offices closed and infrastructure affected, voters face challenges in accessing absentee ballots and polling sites. Officials are working tirelessly to maintain election integrity and assist affected residents.

North Carolina Voting After Hurricane Helene Quick Looks

• Hurricane Helene caused “unprecedented” damage in North Carolina, impacting election infrastructure.
• 12 county election offices in western NC remain closed.
• Officials face challenges with absentee ballots due to Postal Service delays.
• State election board is considering moving voting locations.
• Early voting is still scheduled to begin on October 17.
• Gov. Roy Cooper declared the storm’s devastation as unprecedented.
• Asheville, a Democratic stronghold, faces significant challenges in the upcoming election.
• Absentee voters are being offered guidance on ballot redirection.
• Emergency kits deployed to closed county election offices to support operations.

Deep Look

In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation, North Carolina election officials are committed to ensuring that voters in this pivotal swing state can cast their ballots. With just over a month before the November election, Karen Brinson Bell, the executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, stated that they are taking all possible steps to provide voting access despite severe damage to infrastructure.

Hurricane Helene caused widespread destruction in western North Carolina, leaving 12 county election offices closed, which poses significant obstacles as the state gears up for early voting scheduled to start on October 17. Absentee ballots, which have already been mailed to some voters, are encountering difficulties, from postal service delays to inaccessible roads and damaged residential areas that make delivery challenging. The status of voting locations, both for early voting and Election Day, remains uncertain, adding a layer of complexity to the election planning.

Brinson Bell described the storm’s aftermath as “daunting” but emphasized that the state is ready to guide voters through these challenges. She underscored North Carolina’s history of resilience in the face of natural disasters, stating, “We’ve battled through hurricanes and tropical storms and still held safe and secure elections, and we will do everything in our power to do so again.” She praised the spirit of the region, saying, “Mountain people are strong, and the election people who serve them are resilient and tough, too.”

Hurricane Helene hit the Southeast late last week, bringing torrential rain, fierce winds, and massive storm surges along the Gulf Coast, causing what Governor Roy Cooper described as devastation “beyond belief.” Speaking during a media briefing, Cooper said, “This disaster is unlike anything our state has ever experienced,” emphasizing the severity of the situation in places like Asheville, which was among the hardest-hit areas.

Asheville, a significant Democratic stronghold in the largely Republican western region, faces unique challenges due to its importance in statewide elections. The damage could affect voter turnout and, potentially, the outcome of the presidential race, which is crucial in this swing state. North Carolina is among the top contested states in the 2024 presidential election, with Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, both focusing their campaigns heavily on the state. Four years ago, Trump narrowly defeated Joe Biden by about 74,500 votes out of 5.5 million cast.

The aftermath of Helene extends beyond North Carolina. Emergency workers across the Southeastern United States continue rescue efforts in affected areas. Election officials in states like Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia are similarly assessing damage and its impact on voting operations. In Georgia, election workers are returning to offices despite dealing with power outages, limited internet access, and other infrastructure challenges. Absentee ballots are still set to be sent out on October 7, according to Robert Sinners, communications director for Georgia’s secretary of state.

In North Carolina, state officials are exploring options for relocating or combining voting sites if some become inaccessible or unsuitable. Special accommodations are also being considered for absentee voters who have been displaced, including the possibility of redirecting ballots that are undeliverable due to storm impacts. Paul Cox, general counsel for the North Carolina State Board of Elections, explained that voters who have lost their absentee ballots because of evacuation or postal disruptions can request a replacement ballot by contacting their county election office or using the state’s BallotTrax system to track their ballot.

Cox also noted that displaced voters have the option of waiting to cast their ballot in person, either during early voting from October 17 to November 2 or on Election Day, November 5. Additionally, voters from disaster-declared counties who have lost their identification can fill out an exception form to meet the voter ID requirements.

Election officials are also considering more extensive measures, such as extending the absentee ballot deadline or allowing more voters to use the state’s online portal, which is currently available only to military, overseas, and visually impaired voters. Brinson Bell emphasized that officials are weighing all options to ensure voters can participate despite the disruption caused by Hurricane Helene.

The U.S. Postal Service, which plays a crucial role in ensuring absentee ballots reach voters, said in a statement Monday that it is still assessing the damage and impacts from the storm. They are communicating with local election boards to “ensure the ongoing transport and delivery of Election Mail as soon as it is safe to do so.”

For many affected residents, voting remains a concern but isn’t the top priority in the immediate aftermath of the storm. Kelly Godfrey, an Asheville resident, was among the few who managed to return her absentee ballot before Helene hit. Buncombe County, which includes Asheville, reported that nearly 9,990 absentee ballots had been requested as of Tuesday, with 85% of those requests coming from Democrats or unaffiliated voters. Only about 170 ballots had been returned by that point. Godfrey hopes that election procedures will adapt to meet the needs of displaced voters, though she fears that changes could lead to misinformation and claims of voter fraud, a recurring concern in recent elections. “It’s going to be spun a lot of different ways,” she noted, adding that for now, people’s focus is understandably on survival. “Right now, people are thinking food and water.”

Despite the difficulties, election officials are working to maintain election integrity. No reports have emerged of damage to election offices or the voting equipment and ballots stored within. The state election board has been in close contact with vendors to ensure any damaged tabulation machines can be repaired or replaced as needed.

Additionally, emergency kits initially intended for ransomware attacks have been distributed to affected county election boards. These kits include laptops, cellphones, Wi-Fi hotspots, and other essential supplies, enabling election workers to continue operations even in the absence of power, internet, or phone services.

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