Rep. Andy Harris, chair of the House Freedom Caucus, proposed that North Carolina weigh awarding its electoral votes to Donald Trump before votes are counted due to potential voting disruptions related to Hurricane Helene. His comments, made at a Republican dinner in Maryland, sparked backlash from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers, who called the idea undemocratic and a misinterpretation of voting accessibility in the state. Despite claims from Harris about disenfranchisement, state data showed no significant drop in voter turnout, and local election officials condemned the proposal as illegal.