Election

 CNN - The North Carolina State Board of Elections said more than 200,000 early voting ballots were cast as of Thursday afternoon, which suggests the state is on track to come close to — or exceed — its 2020 early voting numbers. Meanwhile, some residents in the critical battleground state continue to grapple with inconsistent cell phone service and power after Hurricane Helene. CNN visited Western North Carolina, a disaster zone after the storm, where determined residents are even driving ATVs and trucks through debris to reach voting sites. The pivotal swing state of Georgia also began early in-person voting earlier this week and saw record turnout. Georgia election officials say absentee ballots were sent out by the US Postal Service as scheduled and were not impacted by the storm.

Data: N.Y. Times, CNN, N.Y. Times/Siena Poll. Chart: Axios Visuals