North Carolina - Buncombe County Election Services
Program Title
Buncombe County, NC, Helene Disaster Response
Program Summary
On September 27, 2024, Tropical Storm Helene struck Western North Carolina, causing widespread devastation. In Buncombe County, the hardest hit area in the state, floodwaters destroyed roads, homes, and businesses, and caused over 106 fatalities. Utilities were disrupted, and communication was limited to radio and word of mouth. With just three weeks until early voting, polling sites were lost, and poll workers were unable to serve uncertainty was everywhere. Thankfully, many were prepared to take action. Election Services and Emergency Services staff began working together in 2022 on an Incident Action Plan for implementation in the event of an emergency during an election. Relationship-building and psychological resiliency was a focus of this planning and proved critical in compassionately overcoming unforeseen problems. The result was that the community was reassured that voting would go on, and voters could take pride in casting their ballots.
