Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order Thursday allowing voting-related adjustments in counties severely impacted by Hurricane Milton, marking the second time in less than a month that election flexibility has been granted due to catastrophic storm damage.
Hurricane Milton made landfall in Sarasota County last week, causing widespread flooding, spawning tornadoes, and leaving destruction across Florida as it moved into the Atlantic. Just weeks earlier, Hurricane Helene had caused significant damage along the Gulf Coast after making landfall in Taylor County on September 26.
DeSantis emphasized the importance of ensuring voters can still participate in the election despite the storm damage. “Supervisors can make reasonable accommodations if their voting sites were damaged, ensuring that people still have a place to cast their ballot,” he said during a Sarasota appearance.
READ: Florida Gov. DeSantis Award $1.5 Million To Nonprofits, Schools Impacted By Hurricane Milton
The order comes less than three weeks before the November 5 elections, with early-voting sites set to open in many counties on Monday. The affected counties include Collier, Glades, Highlands, Indian River, Manatee, Orange, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and St. Lucie. A similar order had been issued for 10 counties impacted by Hurricane Helene, and Thursday’s directive allows early voting to continue through Election Day in hard-hit Pinellas and Taylor counties.
Pinellas County, which saw 15 precincts damaged by Helene, has relocated 25 polling places ahead of Election Day. Supervisor of Elections Julie Marcus assured voters that despite the disruptions, all eligible voters will have access to voting options, whether by mail, early voting, or on Election Day.
READ: Over 833K Mail-In Ballots Cast As Florida Prepares For Early Voting In November Elections
As part of the executive order, supervisors have been given more flexibility, including the ability to establish consolidated voting centers and loosen restrictions on mail-in ballot requests. State employees will also be allowed paid leave to serve as poll workers.
The Florida Supervisors of Elections association requested the expanded order, citing the compounded destruction caused by Milton and Helene.
The governor’s executive orders aim to ensure that Florida voters, despite the challenges posed by two major hurricanes, will still be able to participate securely and effectively in the upcoming elections.
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