North Carolina early voters, still recovering from Helene, exceed 2020 voter turnout

The number of people casting ballots on the first day of early in-person voting in presidential battleground North Carolina exceeded the first-day total four years ago — even as Hurricane Helene recovery continued in the mountains. The State Board of Elections said Friday that a record 353,166 people cast ballots statewide on Thursday. That's about 4,600 votes more than the number cast on the first day of early voting in October 2020. Election officials say the numbers are preliminary and are expected to rise even further. Nearly all early voting sites in the counties hardest hit by the storm were able to open Thursday. Early voting continues through Nov. 2.