Many communities in North Carolina are adjusting their election schedules due to the impact of Hurricane Helene. Buncombe County, one of the hardest-hit areas, has approved new times and locations for early voting. Early in-person voting will start on Thursday, with polls open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Nov. 1.
The Buncombe Board of Elections Chair, Jake Quinn, announced the new early voting plan and urged everyone to spread the word. Due to the storm, some polling locations are no longer suitable or harder to access. The county has published a list of the new locations for early voting to inform residents.
In the 2020 election, Buncombe County voted overwhelmingly for President Biden, with 60% of the vote compared to former President Trump’s 40%. Nearby Watauga County has also revised its early voting schedule, extending the hours to include weekends during the early voting period.
The Watauga County Board of Elections confirmed that none of the polling places have changed, but residents can now access the polling locations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. The community expressed gratitude for the quick rebuilding of the county’s infrastructure after the hurricane and praised the efforts of volunteers from across the country.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections, along with Buncombe County elections officials, will hold a press conference to discuss measures taken to ensure a smooth election process in the 25 heavily impacted counties. These counties contain a total of 76 polling locations, with a majority of registered voters being Republicans.
According to state voter registration records, there are 482,930 registered Republicans, 294,106 Democrats, and 492,546 unaffiliated voters in the 25 affected counties. The press conference will address any additional steps being taken to accommodate voters and ensure every voice is heard in the upcoming election.