States affected by hurricanes may encounter extra voting obstacles before Election Day.

In the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, voters in the Southeast may encounter new obstacles at the polls this year. In response, states, parties, and campaigns are taking proactive measures to increase voter access and ensure their votes are counted.

Despite the varying approaches in the southern states affected by the hurricane, the common objective is to boost voter turnout and support for the 2024 presidential race, with Kamala Harris and Donald Trump currently tied in the polls with only a few weeks left until the election.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina last month as a Category 4 storm, killing over 220 people and causing billions of dollars in damage, there have been efforts to assist displaced residents in finding polling locations.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, roughly 17% of North Carolina's registered voters reside in the counties that were designated as disaster areas. These counties are located in western North Carolina and Georgia, two competitive states that could play a key role in determining the next president, according to Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College.

Last week, the North Carolina State Board of Elections approved 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, an area of devastation that spans some 25 counties.

The Trump campaign has been in touch with election officials in hurricane-affected states to assess the damage and facilitate voter access to ballots.

According to Leavitt, the campaign leadership has written a letter to state and local officials in North Carolina, urging them to increase the number of accessible voting locations on the ground. Additionally, the campaign is reviewing ways to provide transportation for voters who need to reach the polls and ensure they have access to the ballot box.

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued an executive order in Florida, which was affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, granting election officials in affected counties more flexibility to modify their election procedures, such as changing polling locations and mail-in ballot addresses at the last minute.

In Georgia, Democrats faced a setback last week when a federal judge refused to order the state to reopen its voter registration process or extend its deadline following Hurricane Helene, despite arguments from the NAACP, the Georgia Coalition of the People's Agenda, and the New Georgia Project, who claimed that the storm had unfairly prevented them from registering.

The ruling could significantly affect Georgia, a crucial swing state that barely backed Biden by 12,000 votes in 2020. Similarly, a federal judge in Florida rejected a similar request brought in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, filed by the Florida chapter of the League of Women Voters.

Both state's federal judges asserted that there was sufficient time for voters to register for the November election.

The Harris campaign is not providing any clear information on transportation or voting options for those affected by natural disasters in North Carolina or other states. Additionally, it is unclear what specific actions Trump's campaign may take in response to these disasters.

Campaign officials did not respond to Planet Chronicle' request for comment.