North Carolina Reports Record Early Voter Turnout, But Hurricane Helene’s Impact May Linger At Polls

North Carolina set a record for the first day of early voting, but the impact from Hurricane Helene may still depress turnout across the state, The New York Times reported Saturday.

More than 353,000 ballots were cast across the state Thursday, less than a month after Hurricane Helene devastated the western part of the state in September, according to The New York Times. An expert in North Carolina politics warned against celebrating the record turnout too soon, adding that voter participation is likely still depressed in the towns hit hardest by the hurricane.