This guide is state of emergencya Grist series exploring how climate disaster affects voting and politics. The companion article provides a comprehensive overview of the logistics of disaster preparedness and recovery.
In the weeks leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Louisiana experienced a series of devastating hurricanes. Hurricane Laura hit the state's southwestern coast as a Category 4 storm on August 27, bringing winds of up to 150 miles per hour, extreme rainfall and a 10-foot storm surge. Six weeks later, Hurricane Delta hit the same area as a Category 2 hurricane. The storm made the voting process chaotic and difficult: polling stations were damaged, thousands of people fled their states, and all necessary documents and identification were flooded.
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, many Americans have already experienced them or will experience them in the future. According to a recent Pew Research Center poll, seven in 10 Americans say their community experienced extreme weather events in the past 12 months, including flooding, drought, heat, rising sea levels or major wildfires.
The aftermath of a disaster can be horrific and painful, and many victims struggle to obtain basic necessities like food and shelter, or to fill out paperwork for disaster assistance and insurance. It’s even harder to find accurate information about where and how to vote—so difficult, in fact, that many people who lived through the disaster simply didn’t bother to vote.
With experts predicting that hurricane season will enter its most active period in history and a series of wildfires will break out across the West, it's more important than ever to prepare for disruptions to the voting process in a critical election year.
The following guide is designed to help you understand early voting, absentee voting, and Election Day, the rules of which vary widely across the United States (Not registered to vote yet? You still have time: Find your state's voter registration rules here.)
vote in person
If a disaster occurs, the governor can extend voting deadlines, allow ballots to be forwarded to new addresses, allow local officials to change or add new polling locations, or postpone municipal elections. These rules vary by state, and this information can be difficult to find after a disaster.
America's Vote Foundation has a tool that accesses your county elections office's contact information. These ranges are divided by state; they are usually the county clerk, supervisor, auditor, board of elections, or board of elections. You can try contacting these offices, but there is no guarantee they will be able to answer your questions. You can also ask voting rights groups in your area and watch local news for any changes or updates.
After a disaster, the first step is to identify where you should vote. Is your polling place damaged or moved? If multiple locations merge or election loggers are scarce after a disaster, be prepared to wait in long lines to vote. If you're waiting in hot weather, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing (21 states prohibit campaign attire, so keep this in mind), and bring water. Here are some additional resources about heat waves.
Was your car damaged in a disaster? Need a ride to the polls? Some ride-sharing services and public transportation systems offer free rides on Election Day. More information here.
Early voting
Most states, including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, offer some form of early voting, which is voting in person several days to more than a month in advance before an election, according to data from statehouses across the country. However, every time, place and time is different. Three states, Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire, do not allow early in-person voting.
Voting early in person is a helpful option if you want to avoid waiting in line on Election Day or are traveling out of town. It is also an option for people who live in areas of the country that are prone to or have recently been affected by natural disasters. In-person voting on Election Day at the end of the “danger season” may not be a possibility or a priority. Go here to see your state's specific rules for early voting.
absentee ballot
Absentee voting is often called “voting by mail” or “voting by mail.” Every state offers this service, but some require you to meet certain conditions, such as having a valid excuse as to why you can't get to the polls on Election Day. Absentee voting may be an especially helpful tool for people who have recently been displaced or at risk of displacement due to extreme weather. It also protects voters who live in the hottest areas of the country, where high temperatures can make waiting in long lines dangerous.
The League of Women Voters explains state-by-state absentee voting rules here. If the county where you live receives a federal disaster declaration following a disaster, these processes may change to give you more time and flexibility.
Since it's now the height of hurricane season, we've listed registration and absentee ballot request deadlines for hurricane-prone states below:
Florida: Registration deadline is October 7th.
Alabama: Registration deadline is 15 days before the election. If voting by mail, request your ballot five days before the election if you apply in person or seven days before the election if you request by mail (more information here).
Mississippi: There is no online registration in Mississippi. The deadline is October 7, 30 days before Election Day. The last day to request an absentee ballot is five days before Election Day (more information here ).
North Carolina: The voter registration deadline is Friday, October 11, 2024 at 5 pm.
South Carolina: The registration deadline is October 7, 30 days before the election. You must request an absentee ballot by 5:00 pm 11 days before the election (more information here).
Louisiana: The deadline to register online is 20 days before the election on October 15; in person or by mail, the deadline is 30 days from October 7. Read absentee ballot requirements here.
Georgia: The registration deadline is October 7, 30 days before the election. You can apply for an absentee ballot starting 11 weeks before the election (more information here).
Texas: The registration deadline is October 7, 30 days before the election. If voting by mail, you must request an absentee ballot 11 days before the election (more information here).
Voter ID Act
Each state has different voter ID laws. Some require photo ID, some require documentation such as a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck; some require a signature. The National Conference of State Legislatures details these rules here .
If your ID is destroyed in a flood, fire, or tornado, your state may exempt you from showing it at the polls. For example, after Hurricane Harvey, Texas residents who lost their IDs due to flooding were able to vote without ID if they filled out an affidavit stating that the voter was without ID due to a natural disaster declared by the governor. Your state may also waive fees associated with obtaining a new ID.
The best way to find this information is to contact your county clerk or other elections official, or contact a voting rights organization in your area.
Know your rights
Just as states have strict rules about how people can vote, there are many other rules governing what happens outside of polling places. In most states, you can accept water and food from groups around election sites, but there is misinformation about whether this is legal. After the 2020 election, Georgia passed a law banning such activity within a certain buffer zone. A judge struck down part of the law: Handing something to a voter within 25 feet of a line is no longer prohibited, but it remains illegal to do so within 150 feet of a voting building.
Please call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to report voter intimidation to the Election Protection Alliance. You can also find more information about voter rights from the ACLU.
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