Early voting underway, despite closed polling sites in western NC

OLD FORT, N.C. — Thursday is the first day of in-person early voting in North Carolina. If you are not registered to vote right now, you can do so during this early voting period.

>> Early voting sites in North Carolina

Bank of America Stadium is the largest polling location in Mecklenburg County. There are polling locations all across the state where you can vote early, but some of them are shut down because of the destruction from Helene.

In McDowell County, the North Carolina State Board of Elections said the Old Fort early voting location isn’t being used for voting this year. But everyone who spoke with Channel 9′s Dave Faherty Thursday said they were determined to vote.

There are still areas in Old Fort without power, water, and sewer, and the damage is extensive. Near the elementary school, residents showed Faherty how high the water got in their homes.

HELENE COVERAGE IN MCDOWELL COUNTY:

• Another death connected to Tropical Storm Helene reported in NC
• NC plant that makes 60% of country’s IV fluid is closed due to flooding
• 5 rescued from rising Linville River as heavy rain moves in

Debris piled up along the roadway after both the Catawba River and Mill Creek flooded.

Election officials said there was so much damage, they did not open the early voting site there. Instead, they asked residents to drive to Marion, where Faherty saw long lines Thursday morning.

In the last presidential election, more than 60% of the 25,000 people who voted in McDowell did so early.

Faherty spoke with people on the board of elections about the decision to have only one early voting location in McDowell County this year and about the location that is closed.

“The power, the water, the sewer, all of those issues — no cell service, internet,” Kim Welborn said. “That depot is now being used being used as a medical triage and clinic for the community.”

If you are planning to vote by mail in North Carolina, some people are getting an unpleasant surprise when they open their ballots. State officials said in some cases, the internal envelope — the one voters use to return their completed ballot — was sealed shut by moisture from Helene.

One voter took a video showing the sealed envelopes.

“To the point where we can’t really open them without ripping the envelope, and that was very concerning because we’re worried that, potentially, it could be considered tampering,” Liz Allen Green said.

If this happens to you, you’ll have to request another ballot from your county board of elections office.

>> Channel 9 is your home for election coverage ahead of Nov. 5. We reached out to all the candidates in local races. See how they want to represent you in their own words.

(WATCH BELOW: NC elections workers carefully prepare mail-in ballots for early voting)

NC elections workers carefully prepare mail-in ballots for early voting

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