North Carolina's 2024 Election in the Wake of Hurricane Helene: What We Know So Far

Impact of Hurricane on Voting

North Carolina officials have expressed concerns that Hurricane Helene may affect voting in certain parts of the state. The hurricane caused significant damage to critical infrastructure, particularly in western North Carolina and parts of the Appalachian Mountain areas. Karen Brinson Bell, the executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, highlighted potential issues such as polling places being impacted by mudslides, inaccessible due to damaged roads, or damaged by fallen trees.

Estimation of Affected Voters

The North Carolina elections board website indicated that five county boards of elections were closed as of Thursday morning, including Avery, Buncombe, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey counties. Staff in Avery, Buncombe, and Watauga counties are still working or taking calls, but the status of Mitchell and Yancey counties is unclear. The website also provides a breakdown of registered voters in the 25 counties designated as disaster zones by party affiliation. There are approximately 480,000 registered Republican voters, 292,000 Democratic voters, 490,000 unaffiliated voters, and around 10,000 people registered with third parties.

Important Election Dates

The voter registration deadline for the upcoming election in North Carolina is October 11, although some voters can register in person at early voting sites from October 17 to November 2. For mail-in voters, a completed voter registration application must be received by a county board of elections no later than 20 days before the election. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is 5 p.m. ET on the Tuesday before Election Day, October 29, and the deadline to return a mail-in ballot is 7:30 p.m. ET on Election Day. A tracking website from the University of Florida’s Election Lab shows that about 16,000 people have already cast early votes in the state, all of which are mail-in ballots.

Expected Close Race

North Carolina is expected to be a key swing state in the 2024 election. In the 2020 election, then-President Donald Trump narrowly defeated then-Democratic candidate Joe Biden by more than 70,000 votes, or 1.3 percent. The Cook Political Report has classified North Carolina as a “toss-up” for the 2024 election between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Both Harris and Trump have made numerous visits to the state this year.

Uncertainty and Preparedness

Brinson Bell described the storm's impact as creating a "daunting" level of uncertainty, with early in-person voting scheduled to start in just over two weeks on October 17. However, she also expressed confidence in the state's ability to help voters navigate the emergency, stating that the state has previously managed to hold safe and secure elections despite hurricanes and tropical storms.

Federal and National Guard Assistance

Over 6,700 Army and Air National Guard members have been deployed to areas severely affected by Hurricane Helene, and more than 5,000 federal employees are responding to the crisis. Frank Matranga, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), confirmed that federal agencies have sent 5,000 personnel to assist with the response in the southern United States, including more than 1,500 FEMA staff members.

Bottom Line

The impact of Hurricane Helene on the 2024 election in North Carolina remains uncertain. However, state and federal officials are working diligently to ensure that voters can exercise their rights despite the challenges posed by the hurricane. What are your thoughts on the situation? Share this article with your friends and discuss. Don't forget to sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is available every day at 6pm.