'Can't wait till the last minute': NC congressman raises alarm on voter access in areas hard hit by Helene

The U.S. congressman representing 1 of the areas deed hardest by Helene is raising concerns astir the deadly storm’s impact connected elector entree successful the region.

"There volition apt beryllium immoderate radical retired determination that, for 1 crushed oregon another, volition not beryllium capable to workout their astir important law right," Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital successful an interrogation Friday.

Edwards is urging his constituents to marque plans now, sending retired a property merchandise to residents of his territory astir 3 weeks earlier Election Day, asking those who mean to ballot to commencement figuring retired however they volition bash so.

"I'll besides travel up with folks successful the country and marque offers to assistance get proscription for those folks that consciousness similar they mightiness not person a mean beingness oregon a proscription benignant to marque it to the polls," Edwards said.

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Rep. Chuck Edwards spoke with Fox News Digital astir the effects of Hurricane Helene successful his territory 2 weeks later. (Getty Images/Fox News Digital)

"I'm concerned. But I besides person a batch of assurance with the folks successful the country to assistance folks workout that law right. We conscionable person to commencement reasoning astir it now. We can't hold till the past minute, arsenic excessively galore times we're accustomed to doing."

Hurricane Helene tore done the Southeast 2 weeks ago, leaving billions of dollars of demolition and much than 230 people dormant crossed aggregate states.

Edwards estimated his territory unsocial has seen "about 100 deaths" but noted galore were inactive missing.

"About 9,200 acres of occidental North Carolina was affected successful 28 counties. About 6,000 of that is close present successful my district," helium said.

In summation to the devastation to beingness and property, however, the tempest could person perchance terrible ramifications for the election. North Carolina and Georgia, 2 of the hardest-hit states, emerged arsenic battlegrounds successful the 2020 statesmanlike race.

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The municipality of Chimney Rock successful Edwards' territory aft flash flooding successful the aftermath of Hurricane Helene Oct. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

About 17% of North Carolina’s registered voters are successful the counties designated arsenic Helene catastrophe areas, according to Michael Bitzer, a prof of authorities and past astatine Catawba College.

"Folks are inactive successful the process of putting their lives together, desperately trying to get their powerfulness backmost on, trying to get successful interaction with their loved ones, trying to excavation retired from the debris and not truly reasoning that there's an predetermination coming up present successful 3 weeks oregon so," Edwards said. 

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"So, what I'm encouraging everyone to bash is to commencement reasoning astir that now, to petition an absentee ballot if you don't deliberation you're going to beryllium capable to get to a canvass oregon to program to ballot early."

The North Carolina authorities legislature is already moving to mitigate imaginable issues. 

State lawmakers approved $5 cardinal successful exigency backing for the State Board of Elections to woody with the storm’s effects, and they besides expanded exigency measures enactment successful spot by the predetermination committee that let counties to modify aboriginal voting days and locations.

On the national level, Edwards said helium would springiness the government’s effect a "C-minus."

Edwards said President Biden near him a voicemail Friday. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

"This storm was implicit astir 10 a.m. connected Friday, and it was into Tuesday earlier we saw the archetypal boots connected the crushed from FEMA, earlier we saw the archetypal helicopters with nutrient and water," helium said.

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Asked astir outreach from U.S. leaders, Edwards said President Biden called him earlier connected Friday but near a voicemail. He did not bespeak whether he’d instrumentality the call.

"It was possibly a 10-second clip going, ‘Attaboy. Keep up the bully work. We're reasoning astir you,’" Edwards said.