ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Fall is in the air, the roadsides are covered in campaign signs and early voting starts this week.

Early voting begins on the third Thursday before Election Day and ends at 3 p.m. on the last Saturday before the election.

Buncombe is among several North Carolina counties that modified their election procedures because of damage inflicted by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

The Buncombe County Board of Elections approved new times and locations for early voting under the authority of an emergency resolution by the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

The local resolution established daily early voting hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., from Oct. 17 through Nov. 1, including weekends. Voting will begin at 9 a.m. on Nov. 2, the last day of early voting, but, by state law, the polls will close at 3 p.m. that day.

Early voting requires fewer locations and poll workers, and the County Board of Elections’ changes approved on Tuesday, Oct. 8, are intended to maximize voter access. Voters can choose any early voting location that is convenient to them.

Voters can choose any early voting location that is convenient to them.

Approved locations

  • Black Mountain Library, 105 N. Dougherty St., Black Mountain
  • East Asheville Library, 3 Avon Road, Asheville
  • Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sand Hill Road, Candler
  • Fairview Library, 1 Taylor Road, Fairview
  • Leicester Community Center, 2979 New Leicester Hwy., Leicester
  • South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Road, Asheville
  • UNCA Health & Counseling Center, 118 W.T. Weaver Blvd., Asheville (new location)
  • Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Drive, Weaverville
  • Dr. Wesley Grant Southside Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville (in lieu of Board of Elections location)
  • West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road, Asheville

You must be registered to vote to vote. Eligible individuals who reside in a county but are not yet registered to vote there may register during the in-person early voting period.

Registering at an early voting site during the early voting period requires voters to provide proof of residence. Proof of residence includes any of the following documents that include the voter’s current address:

  • North Carolina driver’s license.
  • Other photo identification issued by a government agency, provided that the card includes the voter’s current name and address.
  • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document showing the voter’s name and address.
  • For students living on campus, a document from an educational institution with the student’s name and on-campus housing address. Or, an educational institution may provide the county board of elections a list of students residing in particular campus housing, which will suffice if a student living in campus housing shows a valid student photo identification card.

Election Day is Nov. 5.