How past hurricanes and tropical storms have affected US elections

Since the nation’s founding in 1776, tropical cyclones have caused elections, influencing voter sentiment and occasionally altering election dates.

Although few cyclones affected the elections held in November, their effects led to changes weeks and even months before Election Day.

Two of the most notable cyclones include Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which caused billions of dollars in damage.

Both cyclones prompted officials to take emergency action, and in the case of Katrina, forced the postponement of elections.

Here’s a look at some of the recent ones the hurricanes that affected the US election.

WEATHER MAY IMPACT VOTING ATTENDANCE

Hurricane Nicole – November 2022

Nicole is notable for being only the third November hurricane to make landfall in Florida.

The cyclone developed on 7 November and made landfall just three days later on 10 November.

The National Hurricane Center issued a Hurricane warning for much of Florida’s east coast on election day before the cyclone hit.

Despite the alerts and evacuation notices, most of the effects occurred after the vote, limiting the impact on the electoral process.

At least 11 deaths have been attributed to the hurricane in the Caribbean and Floridaand the damage was estimated at about 1 billion dollars.

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Hurricane Dorian – September 2019

Special elections to fill the vacancy North CarolinaThe 9th congressional district came just days after Hurricane Dorian made landfall near Cape Hatteras as a Category 2 cyclone.

The district covers a region south of Raleigh and east of Charlotte and was affected by the outer edges of the hurricane.

After ravaging the Bahamas, the hurricane made landfall on the morning of Friday, September 6.

Because of the impacts, the the state imposed additional early voting hours to allow affected voters to cast their ballots before Election Day on September 10.

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Hurricane Florence – September 2018

The Category 1 hurricane hit North Carolina and South Carolina in mid-September, leading to concerns about early voting during the midterm elections.

The NC State Council Office reported mailing ballots for counties that were unable to do so due to flooding and utility outages.

The storm system set a South Carolina record for the wettest cyclone, dropping about 35.93 inches over the eastern part of the state.

Florence’s estimated damage was more than $24 million across three southeastern states.

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Hurricane Sandy – November 2012

The the superstorm made landfall near Atlantic City, New Jerseyjust over a week before the November 6, 2012 presidential election.

The storm system had the winds of a Category 1 hurricane with a maximum storm surge of about 13 feet.

Polling stations in New York and New Jersey experienced significant disruption, but authorities enacted emergency provisions to reduce the impact on voters.

In addition to setting up temporary polling stations, both new york and New Jersey extended the deadline for requesting absentee ballots.

Authorities in the Garden State have even allowed some affected voters to request, receive and send ballots by fax or email.

According to a congressional research reportvoter turnout was down in the Sandy-affected region, but it’s unclear if the lack of voter turnout was just a result of the historic storm system.

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Hurricane Katrina – August 2005

The Deadliest hurricane to hit the Lower 48 during the modern era made landfall along the northern Gulf Coast as a powerful Category 3 on August 29.

An estimated 1,392 people were killed and the damage was estimated at around $125 billion.

Over half a million inhabitants in the south-east of the country Louisiana were reported to be displaced, emphasizing the electoral system.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, several primary elections were postponed, and even with the date changes, precincts reported significant declines in turnout.

More storms around Election Day in November

Overall, the FOX Forecast Center says there have been six storms that have made landfall within a week of a November election day: Nicole in 2022, Mitch in 1998, the storms known as “Seven” in 1946 and 1935, Eighth Storm of 1861 and Storm of 1904. Six.

The 1904 storm was the only one to make landfall during a presidential election — coming to Florida as a tropical storm on November 3.

No hurricanes made landfall in the US on Election Day.

Effects of storms on voters

Outside the impact zone, the state of storm responses served as a galvanizing force among likely voters.

For example, in 1992, FEMA’s response to Hurricane Andrew in South Florida it was largely deemed inadequate by the public, putting the state’s 25 electoral votes up for grabs.

Similarly, in 2012, Superstorm Sandy swept through the eastern US, impacting the re-election of President Barack Obama.

At the time, national exit polls indicated that the response to the hurricane was an important factor for 15% of voters.

In 2024, Hurricane Helene affected voters in several southern states, but the impact on the electorate will likely take months, if not longer, to accurately determine, according to political experts.