Everything you need to know to cast your ballot — from voting early to replacing your ID

On Oct. 7, the N.C. State Board of Elections (NCSBE) issued a resolution designed to assist the 13 counties most affected by Helene to make changes to polling sites or hours to ensure safe and fair elections. These counties are: Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey.

Two days later, the North Carolina General Assembly expanded that resolution to include 12 additional counties under the FEMA designated disaster area, although those counties have not made any adjustments to their original voting schedules or processes.

In this voting guide, we’ll explain these changes, as well as everything you need to know about casting your ballot if you live in a county impacted severely by Helene.

Key dates to keep in mind:

• Through Saturday, Nov. 2: Early Voting and same-day voter registration period
• Tuesday, Oct. 29, 5 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot online at votebymail.ncsbe.gov 
• Monday, Nov. 4, 5 p.m.: Deadline to request an absentee ballot in person
• Tuesday, Nov. 5: Election Day
• Tuesday, Nov. 5, 7:30 p.m.: Deadline by which absentee ballots must be received

Key numbers to keep in mind:

• $1.77: the postage needed for absentee ballots (3 stamps)
• 2: the number of witnesses who must sign a voter’s absentee ballot, unless you have a public notary as a witness — then only one witness is sufficient

Who decides to change a county’s voting locations or hours?

The Oct. 7 NCSBE resolution allows each county’s board of elections to make changes with a bipartisan majority vote. The state board has waived the usual requirement that it must approve these changes.

The resolution instructs boards to keep changes to a minimum and to alert the public by contacting local media and posting notices at disaster relief sites and shelters.

See below for a list of changes that have already been made, by county.

Why does my county only have one early voting site? Why do my county’s early voting sites have reduced hours and/or days?

For all elections, state law authorizes county election boards to determine the number, location and hours of early voting sites. The resolution passed after Helene permits each county board of elections to limit the number of early voting sites, as well as the number of days and hours they are open.

Why?

A number of reasons:

• Boards have lost multiple days usually spent training poll workers, testing voting machines, processing absentee ballots, and conducting other work.
• Staff and poll workers may be directly impacted and displaced by the disaster.
• Early Voting and Election Day sites may be damaged or used for disaster relief.

What changes should I expect on Election Day?

Usually, voters must vote in their precinct on Election Day. That requirement has been waived for counties impacted by Helene.

The resolution permits counties to:

• Transfer voters from one precinct to another within the county.
• Use precincts in an adjacent county, as long as the affected county sets up its voting materials in a separate place and uses its own staff.
• Have multiple voting sites in a single precinct.
• Allow all county voters to vote at the central precinct.

See below for any of these changes made by county boards of election.

Where can I register to vote?

You can register and vote at the same time at any early voting site in your county through Saturday, Nov. 2. Search early voting sites at vt.ncsbe.gov/EVSite/. You’ll need to bring a photo ID and proof of address document, such as a paycheck, utility bill, or bank statement. This can be a paper copy or on your phone.

What if I lost my photo ID?

You will be asked to show a photo ID when you vote. (Find a list of acceptable ID forms at BringItNC.gov.) While it is not necessary to have one, it will speed up the process. You will have to fill out a provisional ballot if you do not have a photo ID.

If you lost your Photo ID during Helene, NCSBE offers these options:

• Go to your county board of elections office. If you are a registered voter, they can take your photo and print an acceptable ID on the spot. You’ll provide your name, date of birth and the last four digits of your social security number to the staff; they will take a photo and give you a free photo ID. Find more details here: Get a Free Voter Photo ID.
• You can fill out a Photo ID Exception Form at your voting site or with your absentee ballot. Check the box for Exception 3: Victim of a Natural Disaster.

Can I still vote early if I had to seek temporary housing or shelter outside North Carolina?

If you had to relocate to another state because of Helene and you are already registered to vote, you can request an absentee ballot at votebymail.ncsbe.gov until 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29.  Mailed absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 pm on November 5th. Keep in mind that you will need $1.77 worth of postage, equivalent to 3 Forever stamps. You must also have two witnesses, or one notary public, sign your ballot.

Can I still vote early if I’m living temporarily at a shelter or new address in North Carolina?

If you had to relocate within North Carolina and are already registered to vote, you can have your absentee ballot delivered to your temporary address. You can drop off these ballots at any county board of elections office. For a list of offices, see vt.ncsbe.gov/BOEInfo/.

Mailed absentee ballots must be received by 7:30 pm on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Some shelters have Multipartisan Assistance Teams authorized to transport completed ballots to county boards.

What if my polling site or board of elections office is far away? What transportation options are available?

Some counties are offering assistance with rides to the polls. If you live in McDowell, call 828-559-0744 to schedule your ride to the polls. You must call by 10 am to get your ride scheduled for the next day.

Buncombe County’s Mountain Mobility service is providing free rides to three early voting sites: Black Mountain Library, Enka-Candler Library and Weaverville Community Center. Call 828-250-6750 for information.

Residents in Buncombe and Henderson counties can also take advantage of Multipartisan Assistance Teams (MATs), who are stationed at disaster aid sites and shelters to assist people with filling out absentee ballots and delivering them to board of election offices.

MATs are usually deployed to care facilities like nursing homes, hospitals and clinics to help voters complete absentee ballots. A MAT must include a minimum of two people with different political party affiliations, or people unanimously appointed by a bipartisan county board of elections.

The Oct. 7 resolution permits counties in the affected areas to deploy MATs to assist with absentee ballots at disaster relief sites including shelters and aid stations.

I want to vote on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5. Have any poll places changed?

On Election Day, you’ll need to vote at your assigned polling place between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Some Election Day polling places have changed. Please see the below breakdown where new sites are indicated in bold, as well as info on any counties that changed early voting locations.

Ashe County

Six Election Day precincts have changed locations. Here are the new voting sites:

• Clifton → Warrensville Baptist Church, 130 Church St., Warrensville, 28693
• Creston & Laurel → Blue Ridge Elementary Gym, 5778 NC-88 W, Warrensville, 28693
• Hurricane → Old White Oak School, 104 Little Horse Creek Rd, Lansing, 28643
• North Fork → Creston Fire Department Annex, 157 Worth Chapel Rd., Creston, 28615
• Piney Creek → Helton Community Center, 240 Old Helton School Rd, Lansing, NC 28643 

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 336-846-5570.

Avery County

Multiple Election Day precinct sites have changed:

• Newland #1 & #2 → Avery County Pool Complex, 220 Shady St. Newland
• Montezuma → Aaron Baptist Church, 24 Aaron Church Lane, Montezuma
• Pineola → Land Harbor Recreation Center, 22 Land Harbor Plaza, Newland
• Carey’s Flat → New Hopewell Baptist Church, 5086 Edgemont Road, Colletsville
• Linville & Banner Elk → Avery County Ladder Truck Hall, 100 Fire Station Road, Linville (100 Cranberry Trail, Linville on Google Maps)
• Beech Mountain → Beech Mountain Community Center, 60 Flat Springs Road, Elk Park
• Heaton & Elk Park → Elk Park Town Hall, 169 Winters St., Elk Park
• Cranberry & Minneapolis → Cranberrian Corporation, 5215 Elk Park Highway, Elk Park
• Frank & Hughes → Victory Baptist Church, 485 Squirrel Creek Road, Newland
• Roaring Creek, Ingalls, & Plumtree → Riverside Elementary School, 8020 U.S. 19E, South Newland
• Pyatte & Altamont → Crossnore Baptist Church, 220 Crossnore Drive, Newland

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-733-8282.

Buncombe County

 Ten of the 14 early voting sites are open and you can check how many are standing in line at Buncombecounty.org/vote:

• Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain, 28711
• East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Rd. Asheville,, 28805
• Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sand Hill Rd., Candler, 28715
• Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Rd., Fairview, 28730
• Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy., Leicester, 28748
• South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd., Asheville, 28803
• UNCA Health & Counseling Center, 118 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville, 28804 (new location)
• Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr., Weaverville, 28787
• Wesley Grant Southside Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville, 28801
• West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Rd., Asheville, 28806

Seventeen of the 80 Election Day polling locations have changeg. Detailed maps are available here.

• Precinct 19.1 → Skyland First Baptist Church 2115 Hendersonville Rd, Arden, 28704
• Precinct 24.1 → Lucy S. Herring Elementary School, 98 Sulphur Springs Rd, Asheville, 28806
• Precinct 27.2 → St. Eugene Catholic Church, 72 Culvern St, Asheville, 28804
• Precinct 33.3 → Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty Street, Black Mountain, 28711
• Precincts 34.1 & 35.1 → St. James Episcopal Church, 424 W. State Street, Black Mountain, 28711
• Precinct 36.1 → Ridgecrest Conference Center, 1 Ridgecrest Drive, Black Mountain 28711
• Precinct 37.1 → Temporary Polling Station, 1722 NC 9 Hwy, Black Mountain, 28711
• Precinct 39.2 → Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Rd, Fairview, 28730
• Precinct 41.1 → Alexander Baptist Church, 1 Curtis Parker Rd, Alexander, 28701
• Precinct 49.1 → Liberty Baptist Church, 875 Monte Vista Rd, Candler, 28715
• Precinct 57.1 → Trinity of Fairview, 646 Concord Rd, Fletcher, 28732
• Precinct 60.2 → Reynolds Middle School, 2 Rocket Dr, Asheville, 28803
• Precinct 60.4 → Fairview Community Center, 1357 Charlotte Hwy, Fairview 28730
• Precinct 61.1 & 66.1 → Warren Wilson College, 124 Lower College Rd, Swannanoa 28778
• Precinct 64.1 → Artspace Charter School, 2030 US 70 Hwy, Swannanoa, 28778

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-250-4200.

Burke County 

According to staff at the board of elections office, voters assigned to the Upper Creek precinct will still go to Smyrna Baptist Church at 3500 Brown Mountain Beach Road. However, because the church itself has suffered damage, voters will vote in a FEMA tent.

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-764-9010.

Haywood County

Two Election Day precincts have been changed because of the storm:

• Clyde North → Clyde Elementary School Gym, 4182 Old Clyde Rd, Clyde, 28721
• Clyde South → Clyde Municipal Building (Town Hall), 8437 Carolina Blvd, Clyde, 28721

Beaverdam 1, Beaverdam 7 and Hazelwood also moved prior to the storm. Voters can find a full list here.

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-452-6633.  

Henderson County

Following a measure passed by the NC General Assembly on October 24, Henderson will need to expand Early Voting. Currently, the county is offering the following Early Voting sites:

• October 17-November 2, Henderson County Board of Election office, 75 E Central Street.
• October 30-31, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, Etowah Library

Four Election Day Precincts have been moved:

• National Guard Armory → Hillandale Elementary School Gym, 40 Preston Ln, East Flat Rock, 28726 (via W Blue Ridge Rd to 40 Preston Ln)
• Atkinson Elementary School → Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2021 Kanuga Road, Hendersonville, 28739 (via Kanuga Rd and Price Rd)
• Bat Cave Fire Department → Justice Academy, via US Hwy 64 to 234 St Pauls Rd AND Gerton Fire Dept, via 4975 Gerton Hwy. Voters can use either site.
• Hendersonville 3 at Whitmire Activity Center → American Legion Post 77, 216 4th Ave W, Hendersonville, 28739 (via N Washington St and 4th Ave)

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-697-4970.

Madison County

One Early Voting site has changed:

• Hot Springs → Hot Springs Senior Meal Site, 356 NW 25/70, 28743

One Election Day site has changed:

• South Marshall → Madison A-B Tech Campus, 4646 US 25/70 Hwy, Marshall, 28753

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-649-3731.

McDowell County

The only Early Voting site is the county board of elections office, 2458 NC 226 S., Marion. The Old Fort site is closed.

No changes in Election Day precincts have been announced. If you are unsure of your precinct, call the board of elections office at 828-659-0834.

Voters who need transportation to vote can call 828-559-0744 by 10 a.m. the day before to request transportation to a polling site.

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-659-0834.

Mitchell County

One Election Day precinct has changed:

• Cane Creek → Gouge Elementary School, 134 Laurel Street, Bakersville, 28705

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-688-3101.

Polk County

Three Election Day Precincts have changed:

• Green Creek → Green Creek Community Center, 25 Shields Rd, Columbus, 28722
• Saluda → Saluda Elementary School Cafeteria, via Seminary St. Saluda, NC 28773
• Tryon 1, 2, 3 → Tryon Presbyterian Church, 430 Harmon Field Rd, Tryon, 28782

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-894-8181.

Rutherford County

No changes have been made.

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-287-6030.

Transylvania County

One Election Day site has changed:

• Cedar Mountain precinct → Rocky Hill Baptist Church, 10766 Greenville Hwy, Cedar Mountain, 28718

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-884-3114.

Watauga County

One Election Day site has changed:

• New River III precinct → Watauga Community Recreation Center, 231 Complex Drive, Boone, 28607

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-265-8061.

Yancey County

No changes have been made.

While some Election Day sites have been damaged, staff at the board of elections office anticipates they will be up and running by November 5.

If you have any questions, contact the board of elections office at 828-682-3950.

Sara Murphy is a freelance writer based outside of Asheville, North Carolina. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, National Geographic, and elsewhere.

This story was produced by the WNC Election Hub, a project of the NC Local News Workshop, in partnership with The Assembly.