In the weeks leading up to the 2020 presidential election, Louisiana has experienced a parade of devastating hurricanes. On August 27, Hurricane Laura hit the state’s southwest coast as a Category 4 storm, bringing winds up to 150 miles per hour, extreme rainfall and a 10-foot storm surge. Hurricane Delta hit the same region six weeks later as a Category 2. Hurricane Zeta then hit the southeastern part of the state a week before the election. The storms have mood a chaotic and difficult process: polling places damaged, thousands displaced from their state, all necessary paperwork and IDs lost to floodwaters.
It’s an experience many Americans have found themselves in, or will face in the future, as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. According to recent poll from the Pew Research Center, seven in 10 Americans said their community had experienced an extreme weather event in the past 12 months, including flooding, drought, extreme heat, rising sea levels or major wildfires.
The aftermath of a disaster can be terrifying and traumatic, and many victims struggle to obtain basic necessities such as food and shelter, or fill out paperwork for disaster relief and insurance. Finding accurate information about where and how to vote is even more difficult — so difficult, in fact, that many disaster survivors don’t bother to vote at all.
With experts predicting a historically active hurricane season and a flurry of wildfires breaking out across the West, it’s more important than ever to be prepared for disruptions to the voting process in what is a crucial election year.
The guide below aims to help you navigate early voting, absentee voting and Election Day, the rules of which vary greatly across the US (Not registered to vote yet? You still have time: Find your state’s voter registration rules here.)
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Personal mood
If disaster strikesthe governor can extend voting deadlines, allow ballots to be sent to a new address, allow local officials to change or add new polling places, or postpone municipal elections. Those rules vary by state, and in the wake of a disaster, that information can be hard to find.
The US Vote Foundation has a tool to access your county electoral office’s contact information. These vary by state; they are typically county clerks, supervisors, auditors, election boards or election commissions. You can try to contact these offices, but it is not guaranteed that they will be able to answer the questions. You can also ask voting rights groups in your area and check local news for any changes or updates.
In the wake of a disaster, first confirm where you need to vote. Has your polling place been damaged or moved? If multiple locations are combined or Election Day volunteers are scarce after a disaster, be prepared to stand in long lines to vote. If you’re waiting in the heat, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing (21 states prohibit campaign clothing, so keep that in mind), and bring water. Here are some other resources on heat waves.
Was your car damaged in an accident? Need a ride to the polls? Some ride-sharing services and public transportation systems offer free rides on Election Day. Here is more information.
Early voting
Most states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico, Guam and the US Virgin Islands offer some form of early voting, voting in person before the election from a few days to more than a month early, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. However, the hours, locations and timing are different for each. Three states – Alabama, Mississippi and New Hampshire – do not allow early in-person voting.
Early in-person voting is a useful option if you want to avoid lines on Election Day or will be out of town. It is also an option for people who live in a region of the country that is prone to natural disasters or has recently been hit by one. In-person voting on election day, which at the end of “danger season,” may not be a possibility or a priority. Go here to see the specific rules surrounding early voting in your state.
Absentee ballots
Absentee voting is often called “mail-in voting” or “by-mail voting.” Every state offers it, but some require you to meet certain conditions, such as having a valid excuse as to why you can’t make it to the polls on election day. Absentee voting can be a particularly useful tool for people who have recently been displaced by extreme weather, or are at risk of being so. It also protects voters who live in the hottest parts of the country, where heat can make waiting in long lines dangerous.
The League of Women Voters explains absentee voting rules by state here. If you live in a country that has a federal disaster declaration after a disaster strikes, there may be changes to these processes that can give you more time and flexibility.
Since this is the height of hurricane season, we’ve included the registration and absentee ballot request deadlines for hurricane-prone states below:
Florida: Registration deadline is October 7. If you are voting by post, you must submit an absentee ballot 12 days before the election, no later than 5:00 p.m. (more here).
Alabama: Registration deadline is 15 days before the election. If you are voting by mail, request a ballot five days before the election if you apply in person, or seven days before if you mail your request (more here).
Mississippi: Mississippi does not have online registration. 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 here).
North Carolina: Voter registration deadline is 17:00 Friday, 11 October 2024. You must request an absentee ballot no later than one week before the election (more here).
South Carolina: Registration deadline is October 7, 30 days before the election. You must request an absentee ballot no later than 5pm on the 11th day before the election (more here).
Louisiana: Online registration deadline is 20 days before election on October 15; in person or mail is 30 days on October 7. Read the requirements for absentee ballots here.
Georgia: Registration deadline is October 7, 30 days before the election. You can request an absentee ballot 11 weeks before the election, and it must be two Fridays before (more here).
Texas: Registration deadline is October 7, 30 days before the election. If you vote by mail, you must request an absentee ballot 11 days before the election (more here).
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Voter ID laws
Each state has a different voter ID law. Some require photo identification, others require a document such as a utility bill, bank statement or paycheck; some require a signature. The National Conference of State Legislatures has a outline of these rules here.
If your ID is destroyed in a flood, fire, or tornado, your state may exempt you from showing an ID at the polls. For example, after Hurricane Harvey, Texas residents who lost their ID due to flood waters could vote without one once they filled out an affidavit stating that the voter did not have identification due to a natural disaster. Your state may also waive the fees associated with obtaining a new ID.
The best way to find out this information is to contact your county clerk or other election official, or contact a voting rights group in your area.
Know your rights
Just as there are strict rules in states about how people can vote, there are also many others that dictate what happens outside polling places. In most states, you can accept water and food from groups around election sites, but there is misinformation about whether or not this is legal. After the 2020 election, Georgia passed a law banning it within a certain buffer zone. A judge beaten part of that law: there is no longer a ban on handing things to voices with 25 feet of them lined up, but it is still illegal to do so within 150 feet of the building where the ballots are cast.
Call or text 866-OUR-VOTE (866-687-8683) to report voter intimidation to the Election Protection Coalition. You can also find more information about voting rights from the ACLU.
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