Watauga County BOE is getting ready for General Election despite Helene’s effects

The Watauga County Board of Elections has notified North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) officials that the election will go on in the county despite the aftermath left behind by Hurricane Helene.

“Despite the hardship that Hurricane Helene has brought to our community and Western North Carolina, the Watauga County Board of Elections is hard at work preparing for the November 5, 2024 general election,” county officials said in a press release that was forwarded by the NCSBE. “Though the hurricane has caused significant disruptions, our election staff and the bipartisan Board are determined to ensure that every eligible Watauga County voter can vote in this cycle.”

The Watauga County BOE, located in Boone, said it is working hard to prepare for the election, following its motto, “adapt and overcome. “

• Since Monday, Sept. 30, election staff have returned to the Board’s office in the Watauga County courthouse on King Street. Staff are taking calls (828-265-8061) and can meet by appointment.
• Election staff are in regular contact with NCSBE, county management, and representatives in the General Assembly, and are coordinating with local agencies.
• Staff have evaluated tabulators and laptop computers used for elections and determined that they have not been damaged. Security of all election facilities and equipment has been maintained.
• Despite internet and cell phone outages, election staff have established a secure connection to the state information system, allowing staff to process registrations and requests for absentee ballots.
• Election staff and the Board are assessing the viability and availability of voting sites, as well as the availability of election officials.
• Election staff have received and mailed absentee ballots. They have also received and sent electronic ballots to military and overseas voters.
• Consistent with state law, the Board will meet on Thursday, Oct. 3, to begin approving “absentee by mail” ballots. The Board will continue to hold regular meetings for this purpose through Election Day.
• Beginning the week of Oct. 8, election staff will begin training election officials.
• The Board encourages the public to monitor developments on its website.

At a virtual press call earlier this week, NCSBE executive director Karen Brinson Bell said the board would forge ahead with the state’s voting process, despite Helene’s effects.

“Mountain people are strong, and the election people who serve them are resilient and tough,” said Brinson Bell. “Just go back to 2020 when we held an incredibly successful election with record turnout during the COVID pandemic. We’ve battled through hurricanes and tropical storms and still held safe and secure elections, and we will do everything in our power to do so again.”

In addition to Watauga County, she also announced Tuesday that NCSBE would be deploying special emergency kits to county election boards in Mitchell, Yancy, and Haywood counties. The kits contain clean laptops, cell phones, and Wi-Fi devices so that boards can have cellular internet service.

Brinson Bell said the State Board of Elections is in early conversations with the General Assembly for assistance and allowances in conducting the upcoming election in Western North Carolina. The request will likely include additional funding for county election boards, but she said they won’t have a full scope of the needs until later this week.

The State Board has set up a special web page with information for voters in areas affected by Helene. Go to ncsbe.gov/Helene.

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