NC elections board pass bipartisan resolution to support voting access in WNC

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- During a meeting Monday, the State Board of Elections voted unanimously on a resolution that provides local county offices more power to ensure voting access.

The resolution, which applies to Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey counties, involves a series of provisions that range from modifying early voting sites and schedules to allowing for additional locations for voters to drop off their absentee ballots.

"Additionally, we know there's going to be challenges regarding maintaining the poll workers at these voting sites, both early voting and election day. So what this resolution allows is county boards, by a bipartisan majority vote, to appoint election officials who are registered in other counties, to appoint emergency election day assistance, to re-assign poll workers to different locations," said Board of Elections General Counsel Paul Cox.

"We really do have two critical issues here. One is to ensure that our citizens have access and that no one is denied the right to vote because of these logistical problems. And second, that we maintain the integrity to ensure that the count is correct," said Alan Hirsch, who serves as the Chair of the Board of Elections.

State Elections officials expressed confidence that early voting will begin statewide on Thursday, October 17th. All county elections offices are now back open, with leaders from both parties crediting on-the-ground efforts.

"The people at the Board of Election, the volunteers, all those people that are able are working very hard to make this election go as smoothly as possible," said Beth Hampton Jones, NCDP Chair for 11th Congressional District.

"The State Board of Elections has done a great job. Every county has done an incredible job. No ballots were lost. No ballots were damaged. No machines were damaged," added Michele Woodhouse, NCGOP Chair in the 11th Congressional District.

Typically, the final stretch leading to Election Day is full of mass campaigning, though the storm has affected that strategy. Traditional campaign events have been replaced with a focus on volunteering and giving back, with messaging focused on ways to connect with those affected by the storm.

"I would encourage all current elected officials and candidates to think about solutions that are going to help people here in western North Carolina that have been devastated by this hurricane, find ways to rebuild and to streamline any bureaucratic red tape processes," said Woodhouse.

"We're hoping to be a conduit of information and help more than our regular routine of just knocking on doors and giving information about the candidates," added Jones.
Challenges still persist logistically, as power and internet remain out in parts, and traveling remains severely impacted.

"The people that are far enough out where their roads are washed out and everything, we're still having a hard time even getting in contact with (them). But the people I have talked to, they're worried about the the early voting sites and if they're going to be there and if they're not going to be there, what's going to happen and where do we send those people? And people are also very worried about absentee ballots, that some have mailed in ballots. Some have requested ballots to be mailed to them. Currently in Buncombe County, there is no mail service. So I was very heartened to hear from a lot of the board of election folks, (on) Monday morning, after just a complete catastrophe, and many of them were in their offices figuring out what this is going to look like going forward," said Jones.

"We're starting to see quickly temporary things coming into place to allow people to get out. We're going to do everything that we can to help make sure that people that are isolated or secluded or unable to get out, that we're going to help them if it's by absentee, if it's by riding an ATV down the mountain to get to the polls, we're going to do everything we can. If they want to get to the polls, we'll help get them there," said Woodhouse.

Tuesday, the Buncombe County Board of Elections is set to hold a meeting.

"I'm here to reassure our community that Buncombe County will vote. All of our staff and board members are accounted for and, despite personal hardship, we've been organizing to make sure this community has a voice in choosing the people that represent us, both in good times and in tragedy," said Buncombe County Elections Director Corinne Duncan.