Election officials in Georgia and North Carolina said Monday that voting from their states in the presidential election in November will not be derailed by the damage left by Hurricane Helene even as crews continue to search for victims.

Election officials in North Carolina and Georgia have reported that all hands are on deck to prepare polling locations for Nov. 5.

Registered Democrats in North Carolina have taken an early lead in returning mail votes after the rules were loosened to make it easier for voters in areas devastated by Hurricane Helene.