BURKE COUNTY, N.C. — Thousands of voters across four counties in western North Carolina cast their ballots in a tent on Tuesday. Election officials say FEMA provided the tents after seven polling locations were either damaged by Helene or being used in the recovery efforts.

According to voter registration data, nearly all of those western N.C. counties lean Republican or are heavily Republican. They’re also largely rural in nature, with smaller populations.

(North Carolina News Service) As North Carolina communities continue to pick up the pieces after Hurricane Helene, they have faced a new obstacle: A surge of misinformation is slowing down crucial relief efforts and leaving residents uncertain about where to turn.