Hurricanes could affect voter turnout in Florida ahead of the presidential election

OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. – The presidential election is just 24 days away.

The governor’s office reports significant damage to some polling locations in Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. They also point out that a number of voters were evicted from their homes.

Several officials say solutions to voting access vary with each storm.

The fallout from Helene and Milton is leading to a change in the way some Floridians are voting in this presidential election. Officials say there is no consistent response to elective surgeries after a hurricane. Each storm requires a different response depending on its impact.

“Needs will vary depending on the severity of the storm,” said Paul Lux, Okaloosa County elections director. “The actual damage that is done, whether you lose polling places, whether you lose early voting places, depends on a lot of different factors.”

Election regulators work closely with the state to provide access to voting. Solutions are often fleshed out by the governor through an executive order. The most recent example was Hurricane Helene.

“You’re not going to see a big change in the way we do it,” said Sen. Doug Broxson. “They will see flexibility in allowing people to go to other locations to vote instead of their home district.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended a number of laws, such as restrictions on moving polling places. Officials say election integrity remains intact despite temporary changes to regulations.

“The governor has not exempted us from the security measures surrounding the elections,” says Lux. “So he is not waiving the laws that we use to secure the elections. He’s more concerned with making sure people have access to vote.”

Broxson said there is a possibility that recent hurricanes could impact voter turnout. He lost a house to storm surges in the past. He says voters affected by the storms may not consider voting.

“Unfortunately, when you lose everything you own, your attention isn’t necessarily focused on voting,” Broxson says. “So we expect there will be disruptions to the vote…It’s traumatic.”

Recovering from the storm could be a priority for affected communities. But Rep. Alex Andrade says voting resources will still be available.

“All a voter needs to do is go to their county’s election official website or contact their local elections official to find out exactly when and how they can vote,” Andrade says.

Andrade also says another executive order for Hurricane Milton will be issued once needs are met.