MORRISVILLE, N.C. (10.07.24) — As the recovery effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene carries on, five nonpartisan organizations are calling on the North Carolina General Assembly to respond to election administration concerns in Western North Carolina to ensure all eligible voters can participate in the 2024 Election. The recommendations, as made by Common Cause North Carolina, Democracy North Carolina, North Carolina Asian Americans Together, North Carolina Black Alliance, North Carolina for the People Action, have also been sent to the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE).
“There are serious concerns regarding Hurricane Helene’s impact on North Carolinians’ ability to vote successfully in the General Election,” the letter reads. “The destruction caused by Helene has significantly disrupted election administration and U.S. Postal Service operations in the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) designated disaster area that covers 25 affected counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Area. It has displaced thousands of North Carolinians who remain unable to return to their homes and struggle to meet basic needs. Many of these voters may now require alternative means of voting or additional support to cast their ballot and have it counted.”
While there are still many unknowns about the situation on the ground in many counties affected by the storm, the organizations believe the recommendations are within the emergency authority of the NCSBE to implement. Actions to ensure voting access and opportunity for all North Carolinians in light of the continuing effects of this devastating natural disaster include:
- Election Funding. Provide robust yet flexible emergency funding to NCSBE as well as the 25 counties in the declared disaster area to cover emergency election-related expenses. Provide CBOE staff, CBOE members, and election officials with hazard pay.
- Early Voting. If some early voting sites cannot be used, allow county boards to adjust early voting hours and make changes to early voting plans based on site availability.
- Vote-By-Mail. Options to assist voters who requested an absentee ballot prior or are requesting to vote absentee due to displacement include: Provide flexibility for voters to return mail-in ballots to any CBOE office and allow mail-in ballots to be redirected to the NCSBE office in Raleigh for counties where the CBOE cannot receive mail.
Reinstate a grace period of at least 5 days for mail-in ballots for all voters statewide due to the extensive statewide efforts to support Western NC.
Temporarily limit witness requirements for absentee ballots to one witness or a notary.
Allow affected counties flexibility to accept mail-in ballots that are damaged or have taped or unsealed envelopes. - Multi-partisan Assistance Teams (MAT). Authorize county boards to send MATs to additional locations and assist voters in counties outside their area of residence.
- Election Day Voting. Allow counties to temporarily relocate precinct; allow counties to permit out-of-precinct voting on Election Day; and allow the county board of elections to establish a “vote center” where any voter in the county can cast their ballot.
- Voter Registration. Extend the regular voter registration deadline to Oct. 17 for all voters and allow voter registration applications to be accepted at any CBOE office statewide or the State Board of Elections office in Raleigh.
- Poll Workers. Provide flexibility for counties to fill possible poll worker shortages by allowing poll workers to serve outside their counties of residence. Provide poll workers and other officials with hazard pay.
- Same-Day Registration. Temporarily lift the requirement that voters’ ballots be discounted and their registration rejected if their mail is returned undeliverable prior to November 14, 2024.