Polls opened for early voting on Thursday in North Carolina - a critical battleground in the Nov. 5 U.S. presidential election - just weeks after Hurricane Helene left some residents still without power,

As North Carolinians continue to recover from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Helene, early voting has begun Thursday in the critical swing state. State election officials expect a majority of North Carolina voters to cast their ballot in-person over the next two weeks,

Early in-person voting started Thursday morning across North Carolina, where it will remain open through Nov. 2. Voters in the state need to provide photo identification to cast a ballot. Those registered in any of the 25 counties seriously affected by Hurricane Helene,