OAN Staff Avril Elfie
2:22 PM – Tuesday, October 8, 2024
The North Carolina State Board of Elections has decided to give voting flexibility to counties affected by Hurricane Helen.
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On Monday, the North Carolina State Board of Elections voted to give people affected by the hurricane more flexibility to vote by mail and conduct elections.
The changes will give the 13 affected counties more options to obtain and deliver absentee ballots, while giving county commissions more ability to change their election administration plans.
The amendments go into effect 10 days before early voting periods begin in battleground states and during the current vote-by-mail period.
Voters in the county who wish to vote by mail can request and receive their ballots in person by Nov. 4 instead of the Tuesday before Election Day.ththe day before the election.
In addition, voters may drop off their ballots at county election boards or polling locations within their respective counties. Previously, voters were limited to submitting their absentee ballots to their county election board or early voting location.
Ballots will be counted if they are received by 7:30 pm ET on Election Day.
The emergency provision would allow county commissions to change early voting schedules and times with a bipartisan majority vote. Polling places may be relocated, even to neighboring counties, if necessary.
State officials said some scheduled polling places are being used as warehouses or shelters for arrivals, while others were damaged or rendered unusable by the storm.
Friday's deadline to register to vote in the state was not extended. The state is offering same-day voter registration during the early voting period starting Oct. 17.th Until November 2ndn.d.This will give displaced voters another chance to register if they missed the initial deadline, said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections.
He also said some ballots from North Carolina have been returned, although the devastating storm has affected the postal service.
Brinson-Bell said there are still five counties without delivery or retail services. Voters can track their absentee ballots.
The bipartisan majority vote also gives county commissions the power to relocate and hire poll workers from other counties to ensure each polling place has a sufficient number of experienced poll workers.
Election officials in other states also changed their procedures in response to the hurricane.
To give the 13 affected counties more flexibility in voting and election administration, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) has announced that officials will be able to move polling places and drop-off locations, or transfer polling places from other counties. An executive order was issued allowing the government to hire staff.
He also said the state's Monday voter registration deadline will not be extended.
South Carolina also extended voter registration until October 4th.th. Georgia officials said they expect election operations to continue as usual.
According to Associated Pressfewer than 700 Georgia ballots are still in the hands of voters in places where post offices are closed. At Monday's briefing, officials said they were preparing alternative routes for those ballots to reach voters.
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