--- title: Hurricane Helene Could Impact 2024 Election in North Carolina description: Experts worry Hurricane Helene could reduce voter turnout, disrupt ballot delivery, or hamper accurate polling in North Carolina. canonical: https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/ author: Chantelle Lee article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2024-10-08T13:26:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-10-19T07:47:31.154Z article:section: Politics og:title: How Hurricane Helene Could Impact the 2024 Election in North Carolina og:description: Experts worry Hurricane Helene could reduce voter turnout, disrupt ballot delivery, or hamper accurate polling in North Carolina. og:url: https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt582fa4721ed35c08/698a7a5a09208f591a420b79/GettyImages-2177177639_7d1cb0.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: How Hurricane Helene Could Impact the 2024 Election in North Carolina twitter:description: Experts worry Hurricane Helene could reduce voter turnout, disrupt ballot delivery, or hamper accurate polling in North Carolina. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt582fa4721ed35c08/698a7a5a09208f591a420b79/GettyImages-2177177639_7d1cb0.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # How Hurricane Helene Could Impact the 2024 Election in North Carolina > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=506efa5e-eec1-44f1-99e2-29e383b554ca&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Biden Says Hurricane Milton 'Could be One of the Worst Storms in 100 Years in Florida' [Watch (HLS stream): Biden Says Hurricane Milton 'Could be One of the Worst Storms in 100 Years in Florida'](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FNINp3by.m3u8) (3:43)  _Published 2024-10-08. President Joe Biden said he is postponing a planned trip to Germany and Angola to remain at the White House to monitor Hurricane Milton, which is bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast._ by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Oct 8, 2024 1:26 PM UTC President Joe Biden said he is postponing a planned trip to Germany and Angola to remain at the White House to monitor Hurricane Milton, which is bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast. by [Chantelle Lee](https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/) ## Chantelle Lee Reporter Oct 8, 2024 1:26 PM UTC Hurricane Helene’s aftermath could disrupt voting in the 2024 election for North Carolina residents, leaving election officials scrambling to contain the fallout in a crucial swing state. Experts worry that the storm could reduce voter turnout, disrupt ballot delivery, or hamper accurate polling in a state with slim margins. “It’s going to be more difficult for people to vote,” saysJason M. Roberts, a political science professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. “And, quite frankly, given the challenges these people are facing, voting is probably going to be much farther down on the list of priorities than it otherwise would be.” State officials passed emergency measures on Monday to make it easier for disaster victims to cast their ballots in the [battleground state](https://time.com/7009161/battleground-swing-states-2024-election/). The bipartisan North Carolina State Board of Elections [unanimously approved changes](https://www.ncsbe.gov/news/press-releases/2024/10/07/bipartisan-state-board-unanimously-approves-measures-help-wnc-voters) in 13 counties where infrastructure, access to polling places, and postal services are likely to continue to be disrupted through the election, the board’s Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said in a press conference. Some of the changes include allowing county boards of elections to change [early voting](https://time.com/7015727/early-voting-questions-how-to-states/) and Election Day voting locations with a bipartisan majority vote, recruiting more poll workers, and allowing voters to drop off their completed absentee ballots at any county board of elections office by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. “This disaster is not just affecting how we conduct elections; it’s affecting day-to-day life, and many of these communities will be without power, without water, without internet, without cell service, potentially for weeks,” Bell said. “Our job is to figure out, as long as there are citizens in those communities, how do we provide them with voting opportunities so that they can exercise their right to vote?” The state’s voter registration deadline is still Oct. 11 and early voting will still start on Oct. 17, as planned. All 100 of the state’s county boards of elections are now open to the public, Bell said. **Read More:** [_Your Questions About Early Voting, Answered_](https://time.com/7015727/early-voting-questions-how-to-states/) Helene [made landfall](https://time.com/7025932/hurricane-helene-damage-photos/) in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane on Sept. 26\. While it was [downgraded](https://time.com/7023975/tropical-storm-helene-hurricane-florida/) as it moved through the U.S., it ripped through the Southeast, causing [devastation in western North Carolina](https://time.com/7026726/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-photos/). The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s [designated disaster area](https://www.fema.gov/disaster/4827/designated-areas) in North Carolina includes more than 20 counties in the western part of the state. About half of the roughly 227 people who died because of the storm were in North Carolina, according to [The Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-death-toll-asheville-north-carolina-34d1226bb31f79dfb2ff6827e40587fc). Robertssays the measures that the North Carolina State Board of Elections passed will help combat some of the challenges posed by the natural disaster. But he says that those changes still may not be enough, expressing concern that the barriers caused by Helene could reduce voter turnout in a state that has had some tight races in recent elections. A new [poll](https://www.highpoint.edu/blog/2024/10/hpu-poll-presidential-race-remains-close-for-north-carolina-voters/) released by High Point University on Thursday found that Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump were tied, with both receiving 48% of the vote from likely North Carolina voters. The storm may have destroyed some polling places, or the locations may be inaccessible because of damaged infrastructure. Other sites may not be available for voting anymore because they may need to be used for emergency response purposes. There were 40 early voting sites scheduled to be set up in the 13 counties that will be affected by the emergency measures approved by the North Carolina State Board of Elections, according to board spokesperson Patrick Gannon. But it’s not yet clear how many of those locations will still be available as voting sites, Bell said. Some citizens may have lost identification documents in the storm, which could add further difficulties to voting, and the state board of elections [website](https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/upcoming-election/helene-recovery-and-voting#VoterPhotoID-4115) has updated information about what to do in that case. Even residents who planned on voting before Election Day may struggle to cast ballots. The storm [disrupted](https://about.usps.com/newsroom/local-releases/nc/2024/1004-postal-service-operational-updates-in-western-nc.htm) the U.S. Postal Service’s operations in parts of North Carolina, which could prevent people from receiving their mail-in ballots, according to Roberts. And because many people—voters and poll workers alike—have been displaced by the storm, some may not prioritize participating in the election. While depressed voter turnout could have a major effect on a presidential race that is essentially tied, the storm may also have made it more difficult to get polling data in the first place**.** The lack of [electricity](https://poweroutage.us/), [cell service](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/05/us/hurricane-helene-damage-deaths.html), and [internet access](https://www.npr.org/2024/10/07/g-s1-26584/helene-recovery-north-carolina-tennessee-flooding-fema) in some regions could affect pollsters’ ability to get accurate data. Martin Kifer, director of High Point University’s Survey Research Center, says that pollsters will have to pay close attention to make sure that the data being collected is a representative sample. At the press conference Monday, Bell urged people to turn to reliable sources for information as they figure out a voting plan for November. “I want to make sure that these people are safe from the storm,” she said, “and able to carry out their right to vote through this.” ## Transcript [00:00] Thanks for your patience. [00:02] As you know, I put out a statement this morning and I'm [00:04] canceling my trip to Germany and Africa. [00:08] I just don't think I can be out of the country at this time. Number one. [00:12] Number two, we're going to stay focused on what's ahead of us right now. [00:22] I've been briefed by senior leaders of this administration. [00:27] And who are driving our preparedness for Hurricane Milton, [00:31] which could be one of the worst storms in 100 years in [00:35] Florida and continued efforts on Hurricane Helen. [00:41] I directed this team to do everything it can to save lives and our communities, [00:46] help our communities before during and after these extreme weather events, [00:50] and that's being done. That's been done. [00:54] I've spoken to all the political leaders in the region, [00:57] some of them more than once, [00:59] and I've told them anything they ask for they can get. [01:04] And we've given, and we've gotten overwhelming response, [01:07] a positive response from everyone from the governors of Florida up to North Carolina. [01:14] You know, it's been I've been in [01:16] constant contact with our director of the National Weather Service, [01:20] Ken Graham, who has kept me informed the last several days what to anticipate. [01:25] You never know until it happens, [01:26] but very very engaged. [01:28] He made clear to me just how dangerous the storm is [01:32] indicating that winds had reached up to 180 miles an hour. [01:37] 180 it's not guaranteed it's going to hit the shore at 180 miles, [01:41] but they've reached up to 180 miles an hour. [01:44] And a possible storm surge as a hit the coast of Florida of 15 feet, [01:50] which can be devastated. [01:51] The current path of the storm at to [01:53] Tampa Bay area and cut directly across the state, east to west, [01:57] all the way across the state with the potential for the storm to both enter [02:02] Florida as a hurricane and leave Florida as a hurricane on the Atlantic coast. [02:08] This could be the worst storm hit Florida in over a century, [02:12] and God willing, it won't be, [02:13] but that's what it's looking like right now. [02:15] Most importantly, I've urged everyone. [02:18] Everyone. Currently located in Hurricane Milton's path to [02:21] listen to local officials and follow safety instructions. [02:25] You all have been reporting on the highways, [02:27] shoulders being opened, everybody's heading out. [02:29] And if you're under evacuation orders, [02:33] you should evacuate now, now, now. [02:35] You should have already evacuated. [02:37] It's a matter of life and death. It's not hyperbole. [02:40] It's a matter of life and death. [02:42] So let me add that FM has provided 300 ambulances, [02:47] move people who can't move themselves out of health care facilities. [02:50] And while we prepare for Hurricane Meton, [02:53] we're still surging resources in North Carolina, Georgia, [02:56] South Cinda, Florida, Tennessee, [02:57] to respond to Hurricane Alina. [02:59] What's the risk of political figures sharing misinformation during this time? [03:07] Those who do it do it to try to damage administration. [03:12] Well, that we can take care of ourselves, [03:15] but it misleads people. [03:17] It puts people in circumstances where they panic, [03:20] where they really, really, [03:21] really worried, and I think no they're not being taken care of. [03:24] And it really is it's going to sound use an old phrase as Un American. [03:28] It really is. People are scared to death. [03:33] People know their lives are at stake. [03:35] All that they worked for, [03:37] all that they own, all that they value. [03:40] And it's just it's just anyway. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/"},"headline":"How Hurricane Helene Could Impact the 2024 Election in North Carolina","datePublished":"2024-10-08T13:26:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-10-19T07:47:31.154Z","description":"Experts worry Hurricane Helene could reduce voter turnout, disrupt ballot delivery, or hamper accurate polling in North Carolina.","url":"https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/","keywords":["2024 Elections","News Desk","Second click"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt582fa4721ed35c08/698a7a5a09208f591a420b79/GettyImages-2177177639_7d1cb0.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chantelle Lee","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/chantelle-lee/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt582fa4721ed35c08/698a7a5a09208f591a420b79/GettyImages-2177177639_7d1cb0.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina","caption":"Storm Helene Causes Massive Flooding Across Swath Of Western North Carolina","creditText":"Mario Tama/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/tag/2024-election/","name":"2024 Elections"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/","name":"How Hurricane Helene Could Impact the 2024 Election in North Carolina"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Biden Says Hurricane Milton 'Could be One of the Worst Storms in 100 Years in Florida'","description":"President Joe Biden said he is postponing a planned trip to Germany and Angola to remain at the White House to monitor Hurricane Milton, which is bearing down on Florida’s Gulf Coast.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/FNINp3by/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2024-10-08T17:29:18.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/FNINp3by.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/","duration":"PT3M43S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7071812/hurricane-helene-north-carolina-voting/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```