Early voting in North Carolina exceeds 2020 numbers amid Hurricane Helene recovery

Early voting numbers for the 2024 election exceeded 2020 numbers in North Carolina despite the devastation that Hurricane Helene brought to the state. 

According to early data, 353,166 people cast ballots at over 400 early voting sites statewide earlier this week when early voting started.

In October of 2020, 348,599 early votes were cast on the first day of early voting in North Carolina, according to The Associated Press.

The AP reports that parking lots at voting sites were full in areas in the Piedmont counties where there had been massive flooding from Hurricane Helene. 

State board Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell said that this was a "clear sign that voters are energized about this election, that they trust the elections process and that a hurricane will not stop North Carolinians from exercising their right to vote."

Many North Carolinians are still without running water as a result of the hurricane. 

Helene hit Florida a few weeks ago as a Category Four storm, and caused disastrous damage in Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.