With 34 days until Nov. 4, North Carolina's voting rules could have a negative impact on the election, thanks to a disaster declaration put in place after Hurricane Helen.
On Sunday, President Joe Biden approved This is a major disaster declaration for North Carolina, whose western region was severely damaged by Hurricane Helen. 40 people have died That's true in Buncombe County alone, which includes Asheville and its surrounding suburbs. North Carolina law requires prospective voters to present a photo ID, but in the event of a “natural disaster” that prompts a major disaster declaration by the governor or president, voters cannot can circumvent this restriction.
Breaking news about Buncombe County Website Voters without ID can still vote if they sign an affidavit of reasonable obstruction. It also states that “an exception form may also be used if you have a religious exception to photography or if you are a victim of a recently declared natural disaster.”
in north carolina laws and regulations Voters who don't provide a photo ID can still fill out a provisional ballot even if they're the victim of a “natural disaster,” he said. The disaster must occur “within 100 days of the election date leading to the declaration of a disaster by the President of the United States or the governor of the state.” In this case, voters simply fill out an affidavit for review by the county board of elections.
Biden's state of emergency also included 24 other North Carolina counties won by Trump in 2020.
OLD FORT, NC – SEPTEMBER 30: Destroyed buildings are seen near Mill Creek in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen on September 30, 2024 in Old Fort, North Carolina. The storm, which made landfall Thursday as a Category 4 hurricane, has left at least 100 people dead and millions without power across the southeastern United States, according to reports. The White House approved disaster declarations for North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia, and Alabama, releasing federal emergency management funds and resources to those states. (Photo by Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
Affidavits signed by voters are subject to review by the county Board of Elections. These affidavits are presumed to be valid “unless the county commission has reason to believe that the affidavits are false.” (Related: Battleground states remove 747,000 names from voter rolls)
“The natural disaster exception applies only to individuals who are unable to present a photo ID due to a disaster. or fill out a false form is a felony,” the State Board of Elections told The Daily Caller.
The State Board of Elections also said that every county board of elections in the state will review provisional ballots, and the Buncombe County Board of Elections emphasized:Bipartisan.”
” bipartisan The Buncombe County Board of Elections, and all county election boards across North Carolina, will review all provisional ballots. If the county commission unanimously determines that a voter's exception form is false, the provisional ballot will not be counted. County commissioners must provide such voters with an opportunity to be heard before rejecting provisional ballots,” they said.
Buncombe County Board of Elections included There are three Democrats and two Republicans. Chairman Jake Quinn, former Democratic National Committee super delegatepreviously characteristic A Republican-led effort to combat election fraud as a “problem.”
“We're looking at different precinct boundaries. Otherwise you need voter ID. Otherwise you can't vote outside the precinct. Otherwise you have to change the time,” Quinn said. said. propublica “That's a problem. If you change voting rules every election, that's going to discourage some people. All of this is very unstable.”
Quinn was referring to 2013 Bill passed Primarily by Republican members of the North Carolina General Assembly. The bill would require voters to show a photo ID before arriving at the ballot box, limit early voting, and eliminate pre-registration, same-day registration and out-of-precinct voting for high school students.
Prior to joining the Buncombe County Board of Elections, Quinn worked as an elections director. super delegate In an April 2016 letter, then-Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders' campaign included Quinn's name on a list of superdelegates supporting Sanders for president.
Current North Carolina Real Clear Politics polling averages Good feeling Donald Trump beat Kamala Harris by a margin of 0.7 points. Trump in the 2020 presidential election beat joe biden At just 80,000 votes, President Trump's margin of victory is narrowest anywhere. The 25 counties included in the federal disaster declaration were given to President Trump in 2020, with the exception of Buncombe County, which Joe Biden won by nearly 60%.
