Asheville, N.C. — Buncombe County will open 13 early voting sites Thursday, Oct. 15, three more than voters had during the Tropical Storm Helene-disrupted 2024 election, with early voting running through Saturday, Oct. 31.
Elections Director Corinne Duncan said Tuesday that more than 1,500 absentee ballots have already been returned, putting Buncombe third in North Carolina behind Wake and Mecklenburg counties. She said early voting is the most popular way to cast a ballot locally because voters can pick a convenient site while running errands. A new site this year is Upper Hominy Fire Station in southwestern Buncombe County, and the Wesley Grant Southside Center replaces the Buncombe County Election Services office on Woodfin Street.
All 13 locations follow the same schedule, including weekend hours Oct. 24-25 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with no early voting Sunday, Oct. 18. Voters may use any Buncombe early voting site regardless of precinct. People who missed the Oct. 9 registration deadline can still register and vote during early voting with proof of residence, and voters should bring an acceptable photo ID such as a North Carolina driver license or U.S. passport.
Buncombe County is governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners chaired by Amanda Edwards. Hurricane Helene catastrophic flooding on September 27, 2024 remains the dominant civic story shaping Asheville and Buncombe County recovery into 2026, including the reduced early-voting footprint last cycle that this year expands back to 13 sites.
Duncan said turnout has risen in recent comparable elections and she expects strong midterm participation as early voting begins Thursday.
