The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) and NC General Assembly have approved several changes to voting rules in the 25 counties in western North Carolina most affected by Hurricane Helene. Among other things:
1. County boards of elections in these counties can make changes to Early Voting sites and polling places on Election Day. These changes may be necessary because some planned Early Voting sites or polling places are damaged or inaccessible.
2. Voters may submit absentee ballots in person at any county board of elections in the state, any Early Voting location in the state, or any Election Day polling place in the state. This could be helpful for people who are displaced from their homes in western North Carolina and currently staying in other parts of the state.
3. County boards of elections can develop rules to enable multipartisan assistance teams to assist people with requesting absentee ballots and to serve as witnesses for absentee ballots.
NCSBE has information for voters in western North Carolina who were affected by Hurricane Helene. Among its tips is for displaced voters to request absentee ballots at their current address and to contact their county board of elections if they have already requested an absentee ballot and need to have it sent to a new address.
