This article was updated on Oct. 16.
Five Western North Carolina counties have announced some changes to where early voting will occur, starting next week. These changes are authorized by bipartisan officials.
In other counties, plans are still being finalized and if changes are announced, BPR will update this page with information.
On Monday, the State Board of Elections unanimously designated 13 counties that can make certain adaptions or changes at the local level to facilitate voter access, both for early voting and Election Day. These counties are Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey. Each may offer absentee ballots in person at county Board of Election offices until Nov. 4.
During the early voting period, North Carolina voters may utilize same-day voter registration.
The state board has a web page with information for voters in areas affected by Helene.
Here's an overview of voting changes made due to Hurricane Helene's damage in WNC:
Buncombe, McDowell, Madison, Watauga and Ashe counties have already announced changes to early voting locations.
Early voting starts on Oct. 17 and runs through Nov. 2. Here’s the full election calendar.
Ashe
Ashe County shared on Oct. 11 at 11 a.m. that 6 out of 17 early voting locations will be temporarily moved due to Hurricane Helene. The following precincts will be open.
- Elk Precinct - Zion at Mill Creek Church at 319 Zion Methodist Church Rd in Todd, NC
- Helton Precinct - Helton Community Center at 240 Old Helton School Rd in Lansing, NC
- Horse Creek Precinct - Old White Oak School at 104 Little Horse Creek Rd in Lansing, NC
- Jefferson Precinct - Jefferson Fire Department at 205 Northwest Dr in Jefferson, NC
- New River Precinct - New River Fire Department at 6067 NC Hwy 16 N in Crumpler, NC
- Obids Precinct - Glendale Springs Fire Department at 7479 NC Hwy 16 S in Jefferson, NC
- Old Fields Precinct - Bethany United Methodist Church at 495 NC Hwy 194 S in West Jefferson,NC
- Peak Creek Precinct - Peak Creek Community Building at 7062 NC Hwy 88 E in Laurel Springs, NC
- Pine Swamp Precinct - Fleetwood Fire Department at 9026 US Hwy 221 S in Fleetwood, NC
- Pond Mountain Precinct - Pond Mountain Fire Department at 6038 Joines Rd in Creston, NC
- West Jefferson Precinct - Ashe Co. Arts Council Building at 303 School Ave in West Jefferson, NC
Here is the Ashe County Board of Elections website.
Avery
Avery County Board of Elections Director Shelia Ottis said that the county board is still finalizing early voting sites as of Oct. 10 at 2 p.m.
Here is the Avery County Board of Elections website.
Buncombe
Buncombe County has adopted a new early voting plan because of hurricane damage. Voters will be able to use 10 sites (rather than the 14 planned originally), but voting will be all 17 days of the allowed early voting period rather than the 16 previously planned.
Early voting in Buncombe County will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and on weekends from Oct. 17 through Nov. 1, including weekends.
Voting will begin at 9 a.m. on Nov. 2, the last day of early voting, but per state law the polls will close at 3 p.m. that day, according to the county.
Early Voting is at the following locations:
- Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain
- East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Rd., Asheville
- Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sand Hill Rd., Candler
- Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Rd., Fairview
- Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy., Leicester
- South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd., Asheville
- UNCA Health & Counseling Center, 118 W.T Weaver Blvd., Asheville (new location)
- Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr., Weaverville
- Dr. Wesley Grant Southside Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville (in lieu of Board of Elections location)
- West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Rd., Asheville
Here is the Buncombe County Board of Elections website.
Haywood
Haywood County Board of Elections Director Robert Inman told BPR that the early voting schedule hasn’t changed. Here’s the full schedule and list of locations. Note: There were changes made to Election Day Polling places due to previous flooding.
Helene has caused changes for Election Day. Big Creek has moved to Johnathan Creek as a temporary polling place on Election Day.
Clyde North (Haywood County Education Building) has been moved to Clyde Elementary School for Election Day.
Clyde South (Clyde Fire Dept) has moved to Clyde Town Hall for Election Day.
Here’s the full list for Election Day.
Here is the Haywood County Board of Elections website.
Henderson
Henderson County Board of Elections shared its early voting schedule on Oct. 11 at 2 p.m. Early voting will held at the Henderson County Board of Elections Office at 75 E. Central Street, Hendersonville, NC. Here is the schedule.
“All traffic entering the Board of Elections during the early voting period, must turn right into our office. To prevent traffic incidents at the intersection of Spartanburg and Old Spartanburg Highway, with cooperation with our local law enforcement, we are preventing all traffic from turning left onto Old Spartanburg Highway from Spartanburg Highway. You will need to utilize Brooklyn Avenue or Shepherd Street to access Old Spartanburg Highway in order to gain entry into the Board of Elections. Please plan accordingly,” the county BOE shared in a press release.
“To help alleviate some of the concerns regarding mail accessibility after Hurricane Helene, the North Carolina State Board of Elections has provided an emergency resolution that will allow for absentee ballots to be issued, in-person, at our office. If you have ANY concerns about your ability to vote in-person during this election or if have previously requested an absentee ballot that is now lost or damaged, please do not hesitate to reach out to our office.”
Here is the Henderson County Board of Elections website.
Madison County
Madison County shared updated voting on early voting information Oct. 11 at 9 a.m.
The Election staff and the Board have determined two of the three early voting sites are operational. There will be 11 out of the 12 election day sites that will be operational and available for the general election.
The Board unanimously adopted two resolutions to address the early voting site in Hot Springs and the election day site on Blannahassett Island in Marshall. All Madison County eligible residents may use any of the three early voting sites located across the county.
The Hot Springs early voting site has been relocated to the Hot Springs Senior Meal Site, 356 NW 25/70, Hot Springs, NC 28743.
The South Marshall Election Day polling place on Blannahassett Island in Marshall has been relocated to Madison A-B Tech Campus, 4646 US 25/70 Hwy, Marshall, NC 28753.
This voting site change only affects voters registered in the South Marshall Precinct.
Registered voters in North Marshall that present to vote on Election Day, should go to the Madison Early College High School.
Here are all of the Madison County Precincts.
Here is the Madison County Board of Elections website.
McDowell
McDowell County Board of Elections will vote next week on possible polling place sites to replace the one originally planned in Old Fort. The Old Fort location is no longer useable, McDowell BOE Director Kimberly Welborn said in an email.
Early voting will also be available at the BOE Office at 2458 NC Hwy. 226, South Marion.
Voting hours will stay the same.
Here is the McDowell County Board of Elections website.
Polk
Polk County has not shared any updated voting on early voting in the county as of Oct. 10 at noon. Here is the Polk County Board of Elections website.
Rutherford
Rutherford County Board of Elections confirmed that it does not plan to make any changes to early voting sites or Election Day precinct locations.
The two early voting sites in the county were not damaged, and none of its 17 precincts were damaged, Rutherford BOE Director Dawn Lovelace said in an email.
Here is the Rutherford County Board of Elections.
Transylvania
Transylvania County has not shared any updated voting on early voting in the county as of Oct. 10 at noon. Here is the Transylvania County Board of Elections website.
Yancey
Yancey County Board of Elections plans to keep the county’s early voting schedule the same but some polling site locations may be changed.
BOE Director Mary Beth Tipton said Election Day plans are still being finalized.
“I am currently working through all the logistics of Election Day voting. Our goal is to have voting at every precinct in the county. This may have to happen by temporary FEMA tents but it will happen! Our voters have lost so much and suffered enough, this is the one thing I can give them. We will give them their voice by being able to cast a ballot in this November General Election,” Tipton wrote to BPR in an email.
Here is the Yancey County Board of Elections website.
Watauga
Watauga County updated early voting in the county on Oct. 14.
The Watauga County Board of Elections early voting sites will remain the same, however the hours have been expanded. All six sites will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, Oct.17 until Nov. 1 On Sundays Oct. 20 and Oct. 27 early voting will be open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. On the last day of in-person early voting Saturday Nov. 2 the polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the afternoon.
This board decision was made to allow more flexibility to voters’ schedules and to maximize daylight driving conditions, both impacted by Tropical Storm Helene, as allowed by recent Helene legislation, according to a press release.
If anyone knows of a voter having trouble voting, the board encourages them to please call the office at (828) 265-8061.
Here is the Watauga County Board of Elections website.
