North Carolina Voters Affected by Helene

Below is information for North Carolina voters in the Helene disaster area during the 2024 general election.

For more up-to-date information, please visit the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ Helene Recovery and Voting page.

Tips for Voting in the 2024 General Election After Helene

Emergency Designation Area

The designated disaster area includes 25 counties and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Area across three counties in North Carolina. More areas may be added later based on damage assessments.

  1. Alexander
  2. Alleghany
  3. Ashe
  4. Avery
  5. Buncombe
  6. Burke
  7. Caldwell
  8. Catawba
  9. Cherokee (Tribal Area)
  10. Clay
  11. Cleveland
  12. Gaston
  13. Graham (Tribal Area)
  14. Haywood
  15. Henderson
  16. Jackson
  17. Lincoln
  18. Macon
  19. Madison
  20. McDowell
  21. Mitchell
  22. Polk
  23. Rutherford
  24. Swain (Tribal Area)
  25. Transylvania
  26. Watauga
  27. Wilkes
  28. Yancey
Absentee Voting
  • Have your ballot sent to you:
    • If you had to relocate due to the storm, you do not have to return to your county to vote. You can request to have your ballot delivered to your temporary housing location or wherever you can receive mail.
    • If you have already requested an absentee ballot and need it to be sent to a new location, contact your county board of elections to spoil your current ballot and reissue a ballot to your new location.
    • If you have requested a ballot but have not received it within a week or believe your ballot may have been lost due to Helene, contact your county board of elections to determine your next steps to ensure you can vote in this election.
    • You can request an absentee ballot online at the North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal until 5 p.m. Oct. 29, and mail it to, or drop it off at your county board of elections office.
      • Standard way to return the absentee ballot: Mail it through the U.S. Postal Service and be sure to include $1.77 postage. It must be received by 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5.
  • If you are registered to vote in an area under the federal disaster declaration (see Emergency Designation below for more information), you can:

 
Request a Ballot  

Voting Early in Person
  • Vote at any early voting site in your county from Oct. 17 to Nov. 2 when it is open for voting.
  • Early voting sites will be available in all counties. See locations and schedules at the Early Voting Site Search.
  • If you’re not registered to vote, you can register and vote at any early voting site in your county.
    • You’ll need to bring official proof of address, such as a driver’s license or other government document, paycheck, utility bill, or bank statement. This can be an electronic copy.
Voting in Person on Election Day
  • Vote at your assigned precinct on Election Day, Nov. 5.
  • Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
  • To find your Election Day polling place and view your sample ballot, use the Voter Search tool.
Photo ID Requirement
  • If you are voting in person and have an acceptable photo ID such as an N.C. driver’s license, please bring it when you vote. This will make your voting process quick and easy.
  • If you lost your photo ID due to Helene, you have options:
    • Fill out a Photo ID Exception Form at your voting site or send the form back with your absentee ballot. (A blank Exception Form will arrive with your absentee packet.) Check the box for “Exception 3: Victim of a Natural Disaster.” Make sure to sign the form.
    • Go to your county board of elections office. If you are a registered voter, they can take your photo and print an acceptable ID on the spot. For details, go to Get a Free Voter Photo ID.
    • Get a free ID from an NCDMV office in your area. For details, see State IDs | NCDMV.
  • For details about North Carolina’s photo ID requirement, including a list of all acceptable IDs, go to BringItNC.gov.
Check Your Registration
  • Any North Carolina voter can check their voter registration status using the Voter Search tool.
Voter Registration
  • The regular voter registration deadline was Friday, Oct. 11, 2024. However, if you missed the voter registration deadline, you can register at an early voting site with an official document showing your voting address. See the “Voting Early in Person” tab above for more information.
Voter Residency
  • In North Carolina, you must have lived at your residence as of 30 days before the election to vote there — by Sunday, Oct. 6.
  • If you moved by Oct. 6 with no intent to return (or you’re uncertain), you can register to vote in your new location.
  • If you moved after Oct. 6, even with no plans to return, you should vote using your prior residence.
  • If you are only moving temporarily and plan to return, keep voting using your prior residence.

DO YOUR PART, NORTH CAROLINA: MAKE OUR VICTORY TOO BIG TO RIG

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IMPORTANT NORTH CAROLINA ELECTION DATES

  • 10/11/24Voter Registration Deadline
    (Via mail or online)
  • 10/17/24Voting Early In-Person & Same-Day Voter Registration Period Starts
  • 10/29/24Mail-In Ballot Request Deadline
  • 11/2/24Voting Early In-Person & Same-Day Voter Registration Period Ends
  • 11/5/24Election Day
    (Polling places are open from 6:30AM-7:30PM. Mail-in ballots must be received by 7:30PM.)
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ELECTION DAY IS ALMOST HERE!

Are you ready to vote on November 5?