North Carolina residents defy hurricane aftermath on first day of early voting

Turnout strong in battleground state still recovering from devastation of Hurricane Helene three weeks ago

Turnout for early in-person voting has started strongly in the presidential battleground of North Carolina, including in mountainous areas where deadly Hurricane Helene destroyed property and upended lives but apparently did not dampen a fierce desire to participate in elections.

More than 400 early voting sites opened as scheduled on Thursday for the 17-day period, including all but four of the 80 sites previously anticipated for the 25 western counties hardest hit by the storm, said the executive director of the state board of elections, Karen Brinson Bell. She credited election workers - including volunteers affected by the severe weather - emergency management officials and utility crews.