H149 - The Disaster Recovery Act of 2024. (SL 2024-51)

• Only in the specified counties impacted by the disaster caused by Hurricane Helene and its aftermath, Section 9.1 authorized flexibility in appointing election officials, establishing voting places, appointing poll observers, the return of voted absentee ballots, and the functions of multipartisan assistance teams.
• Statewide, Section 9.2 imposed certain requirements on the State Board of Elections, including establishing a uniform process for transmitting certain voted absentee ballots to the appropriate county board of elections and establishing a uniform process for multipartisan assistance teams providing assistance to voters.
• The State Board of Elections is required to report to the Joint Legislative Elections Oversight Committee as to efforts made to implement these provisions no later than April 15, 2025.

Section 6.1(a) of S.L. 2024‑51 appropriated $5 million to the State Board of Elections to carry out the purposes of Sections 9.1 and 9.2 of S.L. 2024‑51.