North Carolina Faces ‘Daunting’ Election After Hurricane Helene, Officials Warn

By Stephanie Kelly

WASHINGTON – North Carolina election officials are working diligently to ensure that the state’s over 7 million registered voters are able to cast their ballots in the upcoming presidential election following significant damage caused by flooding from Hurricane Helene in the western region of the state.

As one of seven key battleground states, North Carolina is crucial in determining whether Republican Donald Trump or Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris will be the next president.

"The destruction is unprecedented, and this level of uncertainty so close to Election Day is daunting," stated Karen Brinson-Bell, executive director of the state’s board of elections.

Twelve county election offices in western North Carolina remain closed due to the storm, with the voter registration deadline approaching on October 11. Fortunately, no voting equipment or ballots were affected by the flooding, Brinson-Bell confirmed.

The state anticipates a full assessment of the storm’s impact on election facilities and related issues by the middle to end of this week. "It’s too soon to know the full extent, but we plan to begin early voting in all 100 counties on October 17," she added.

The board has established a platform to provide voting information related to Helene, is coordinating with the U.S. Postal Service to ensure the timely delivery of absentee ballots, and will continue to allow on-site voter registration with proof of address. Approximately 250,000 mail-in ballots have been requested statewide.

The storm has caused severe destruction in western North Carolina, displacing residents and destroying hundreds of homes, with some town centers heavily impacted by the unexpected flooding.

North Carolina is also facing new restrictive voting laws pushed by Republicans. Meanwhile, Democrats are hoping to flip the state in favor of Harris in November, which would mark the first time since 2008 that North Carolina voters supported a Democrat.

When questioned about the potential impact of the changes and uncertainty on public confidence in the election results, Brinson-Bell assured that the state would continue to rely on traditional methods such as precinct poll books and post-election verification checks, despite any necessary adjustments to voting procedures. "It’s not going to stop how we conduct elections. Just because there has been a hurricane, we may need to adapt our approach slightly."