Voters in storm-ravaged parts of the Southeast could face new hurdles at the ballot box this year following the destruction wrought by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, back-to-back disasters that have sparked a flurry of new outreach from states, parties, and even campaigns themselves in a bid to expand voters’ access to the polls and ensure their votes are counted.

Though the efforts in the hurricane-hit southern states have taken very different shapes, the shared goal is to increase engagement and participation in the 2024 presidential race, in which candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump remain locked in a virtual dead heat with less than a month until Election Day.

In North Carolina, efforts have been focused on helping displaced residents access polling locations in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which barreled onto shore last month as a Category 4 storm, killing more than 220 people and causing billions of dollars in destruction.

The bulk of the storm’s destruction was concentrated in western North Carolina and in Georgia, two competitive states that could play a key role in determining the next president. Roughly 17% of North Carolina’s registered voters reside in the counties that were designated as disaster areas in the aftermath of Helene, Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College, previously told Fox News.

‘CAN’T WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE’: NC CONGRESSMAN RAISES ALARM ON VOTER ACCESS IN AREAS HARD HIT BY HELENE

To that end, the North Carolina State Board of Elections voted last week to approve changes for 13 counties in the region, whose access to infrastructure, polling locations and postal services is believed to remain “severely disrupted” through Election Day. State election officials also announced coordination with FEMA and North Carolina Emergency Management to set up portable restrooms, generators and trailers to support the more than 500 polling places in the state’s western region — and an area of devastation that spans some 25 counties.

Meanwhile, the Trump campaign also hinted at new efforts to help transport voters to the ballot boxes in hurricane-hit states. Speaking to Fox News in an interview Monday, Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the campaign has been in contact with state and local election officials in the Southeast to survey the damage and ensure voters have access to the ballots.

The campaign leadership, she said “has sent a letter “to state and local officials on the ground in North Carolina saying, ‘You need to provide as many accessible voting locations as possible on the ground,’” Leavitt told Fox News, adding: “Our campaign is reviewing how we can possibly provide transportation for voters who need to get to the polls and ensuring they have access to the ballot box.”

In Florida, which was battered by both Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order granting election officials in hard-hit counties additional flexibility to alter their election procedures — including polling locations and requests for mail-in ballot addresses to be changed at the last minute.

Meanwhile, Democrats suffered a blow in Georgia last week after a federal judge ruled that she will not order the state to reopen its voter registration process or extend its voter registration deadline in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, rejecting arguments from the Georgia conference of the NAACP, the Georgia Coalition of the People’s Agenda, and the New Georgia Project, which said disruptions from the storm had unfairly deprived them of their right to register.

The ruling could have a major impact in Georgia, a key battleground state that narrowly selected Biden by just 12,000 votes in 2020. (A federal judge in Florida also rejected a similar request brought in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, filed by the Florida chapter of the League of Women Voters.) 

Federal judges in both states claimed that voters had ample time to register for the November election.

Biden speaks to reporters in front of damage from Hurricane Milton in Florida. (Getty Images)

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It is unclear what — or if — the Harris campaign is providing in terms of transport or options for voters in North Carolina or other states that were impacted by the natural disasters, or what specific actions might be taken by Trump’s campaign.

Campaign officials did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

Breanne Deppisch is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the 2024 election and other national news.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The second time was not only the charm for a man in Apex, it was a big cash win!

Octavia Oglesby tried his luck on a second-chance drawing and won the $400,000 on Wednesday. There were more than 65 million total entries, North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) officials say.

Oglesby found out he won the top prize via an email notification from the NCEL.

After required state and federal tax withholdings, Oglesby received $286,000.

Big scratch-off win

A man in Johnston County has some extra cash to spend this fall.

That’s because Jason Hall of Micro took a chance on a $50 scratch-off and won a $100,000 prize.

Hall told lottery officials he purchased the $10 Million Spectacular ticket from the Sheetz on N.C. 50 North in Garner.

He took home $71,514 after required state and federal taxes were deducted.

The video attached is from a previous story.

SEE ALSO | Granville County woman wins $100,000 in new scratch-off lottery game

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SEE ALSO | Nash County woman always believed she’d win $1M scratch-off; now, she has

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – A benefit concert for western North Carolina is set to be held Sunday night in Nashville, according to the host, Asheville Guitar Pedals.

The fundraiser will be held at Soft Junk at 6p.m.

The event will include live music, a guitar raffle and a tattoo auction, Asheville Guitar Pedals said in a post on Instagram.

There will be performances by Longhorne Slim, Taylor Zachary, Jess Nolan and more.

The funds will support communities in western North Carolina that were affected by Hurricane Helene. The suggested donation amount is $35.

Soft Junk is located at 919 Gallatin Ave in Nashville.

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