{"id":2360161,"date":"2024-10-27T11:11:01","date_gmt":"2024-10-27T15:11:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rnc-calls-on-democratic-north-carolina-county-officials-to-expand-voting-hours-and-sites-after-helene-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-10-27T11:16:27","modified_gmt":"2024-10-27T15:16:27","slug":"rnc-calls-on-democratic-north-carolina-county-officials-to-expand-voting-hours-and-sites-after-helene-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rnc-calls-on-democratic-north-carolina-county-officials-to-expand-voting-hours-and-sites-after-helene-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"RNC calls on democratic North Carolina county officials to expand voting hours and sites after Helene &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">38<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frnc-calls-on-democratic-north-carolina-county-officials-to-expand-voting-hours-and-sites-after-helene-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2360161&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Republican National Committee (RNC) is urging \u2062elected officials in Buncombe County,\u200d North Carolina, to \u200cexpand early voting opportunities in response to the damage caused by Hurricane Helene. In a letter from Philip R. Thomas, the RNC&#8217;s election integrity \u200ccounsel, \u200bthe county&#8217;s Democrat-controlled \u2063<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/breaking-president-trump-and-gop-senator-thom-tillis-win-north-carolina-decision-desk-hq\/\" title=\"BREAKING: President Trump and GOP Senator Thom Tillis Win North Carolina: Decision Desk HQ\">election board<\/a> was asked to \u200dhold an emergency meeting to discuss adding more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-dems-pass-massive-voting-rights-bill-conservatives-claim-it-will-chill-speech-demolish-election-integrity\/\" title=\"House Dems Pass Massive\u00a0\u2018Voting Rights\u2019 Bill; Conservatives Claim It Will Chill Speech, Demolish\u00a0Election Integrity\">early voting sites<\/a> and extended hours. Thomas\u2062 highlighted concerns over <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/four-problems-hanging-over-sheila-jackson-lee-ahead-of-houston-mayoral-runoff\/\" title=\"Sheila Jackson Lee faces four issues before Houston mayoral runoff\">low voter participation<\/a> and\u2064 accessibility, particularly in rural areas that\u2064 are \u200bunderserved compared to urban regions like Asheville. He criticized the county&#8217;s current early\u2064 voting plan as insufficient, particularly considering the transportation\u2062 issues exacerbated by the hurricane. Notably, while former President Donald \u2062Trump won North Carolina in 2020 by\u200c a margin of \u206375,000 votes, \u200che lost Buncombe County by approximately 34,000 votes.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">RNC calls on democratic North Carolina county officials to expand voting hours and sites after Helene<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1846015\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/Republican-National-Committee\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Republican National Committee<\/a> is calling for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/north-carolina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">North Carolina<\/a> county election board in the state to <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">add additional early voting sites<\/a> and expand early voting hours due to damage from Hurricane Helene.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/prod-static.gop.com\/media\/documents\/Letter_to_Buncombe_BOE_re_Early_Voting_10-25-24.docx_1729896018.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">letter<\/a> from the RNC and North Carolina GOP addressed to Buncombe County election officials, Philip R. Thomas, the state&rsquo;s election integrity counsel at the RNC, urged the county&rsquo;s Democrat-controlled election board to &ldquo;immediately&rdquo; call an &ldquo;emergency meeting&rdquo; to add more early voting sites and hours. He said there are &ldquo;clusters of low voter participation and significant gaps in coverage&rdquo; in more rural parts of the county outside metro Asheville.<\/p>\n<p>Thomas called the county&rsquo;s plan &ldquo;demonstrably inadequate compared to other counties affected by Hurricane Helene.&rdquo; He said the county&rsquo;s early voting cites are centered on Asheville, which he claims &ldquo;unfairly punishes rural voters who have restricted mobility due to the hurricane&rsquo;s impact on transportation infrastructure.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, former President Donald Trump <a href=\"https:\/\/www.politico.com\/2020-election\/results\/north-carolina\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">won the state<\/a> by about 75,000 votes, but he lost Buncombe County by about 34,000 votes.&nbsp;Both he and Vice President Kamala Harris are trying to court the state&rsquo;s 16 electoral votes.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This is unacceptable partisan voter suppression by the Democrat board members. We demand immediate action and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/judgment-day-six-ways-the-2024-trump-biden-election-is-different-from-2020\/\" title=\"2024 Trump-Biden Election Contrasts with 2020\">expanded voting access<\/a> for Western North Carolina voters who need it most,&rdquo; RNC Chair Michael Whatley said in a statement announcing the letter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As a result of Hurricane Helene devastating areas of Western North Carolina, some counties have created early voting options by setting up early voting sites near locations where residents can pick up supplies for disaster relief, according to the letter. Thomas urged Buncombe elections officials to do the same in their county, calling it the &ldquo;compassionate thing to do.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The county&rsquo;s election board did approve<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncsbe.gov\/news\/press-releases\/2024\/10\/11\/buncombe-county-board-elections-approves-modified-early-voting-plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\"> a modified early voting plan<\/a> earlier this month. In it, they established early voting hours across 10 locations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day from Oct. 17 through Nov. 1.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1846015\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1846015\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RNC urges NC county to increase early voting hours and sites<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2910,"featured_media":2360162,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hurricane.-1-1.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[34685,41852,32258,6915,43805],"class_list":["post-2360161","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-election-officials","tag-helene","tag-north-carolina","tag-rnc","tag-voting-hours"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Hurricane.-1-1.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2360161","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2910"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2360161"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2360161\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2360162"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2360161"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2360161"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2360161"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}