North Carolina’s GOP-controlled legislature has passed emergency legislation to force two western North Carolina counties to open additional early voting sites, after Democrat-controlled local boards of elections failed to do so despite strong calls from voters. Senate Bill 132 mandates one early voting site for every 30,000 registered voters in the disaster area, requiring McDowell County to add at least one site and Henderson to add three. Rep. Jennifer Balkcom emphasized the need to restore all three early voting sites in Henderson County. Restoration of America PAC and American Majority Action are working to increase voting in disaster areas, including obtaining additional voting locations and increasing voter outreach.
The Democratic Board of Elections in McDowell County declined to replace an early voting location lost to storm damage, hindering voter turnout in the area. McDowell County Republican chairman Chet Effler expressed the importance of providing voting access to those affected by the hurricane. In Buncombe County, the heavily Democratic Board of Elections approved new voting locations for early voting but refused to extend hours beyond 9-5 on weekdays, unlike other counties in western North Carolina. Follow Carolina Journal for updates on this developing story.
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