A resident walks through flood water and past a stalled ambulance in the aftermath of superstorm Sandy on Tuesday in Hoboken, NJ.
Bridget Wilson/Associated Press
The presidential election could be postponed if bad weather caused by superstorm Sandy persists.
More than eight million homes and businesses have lost power, and it could take days to restore electricity. If the power is not restored, electronic voting machines will be useless and precincts that rely on those machines could face a major problem, according to the Associated Press.
If the storm continues into next week, the election could potentially be postponed if absolutely necessary, White House press secretary Jay Carney said. In an interview with the Associated Press, Carney said that it is possible for the election to be pushed back, but it is unlikely.
“Congress could act within the next week to change the date, but that would be tough because lawmakers are on recess and back home in their districts campaigning for re-election,” Carney said. “Plus, it’s likely that would mean changing the date for the entire country, not just those affected by the storm.”
Carney said that the election could potentially be postponed in just those states that have been affected by Sandy and that voting hours could be extended, but both of these options could create more problems for the election. For example, if voting hours are extended then voters would need to use provisional ballots which are counted later and could be challenged, as seen in the 2000 presidential election.
“Sandy’s impact was felt in some of the most competitive states in the presidential race, including Virginia and Ohio. The more provisional ballots that are cast, the greater the chances are that the winner won’t be known until days or even weeks after the election,” Carney said.
Postponing the election in just the states that have been affected by the storm also could create problems.
“It’s possible, but the legal issues get tricky. States, by and large, are in charge of their own elections. Each state has its own laws dealing with what to do if an emergency jeopardizes voting and who can make the call,” Carney said. “Federal law says that if a state fails to conduct an election for federal races on the day Congress chooses, the state legislature can pick a later date. But state and federal laws don’t always jive perfectly.”
Carney also said that relocating poll locations can reduce voter turnout because people are usually less likely to vote if their voting habits are interrupted.
Sandy hit land on Tuesday and has caused damage in states such as New York, New Jersey and Virginia and has caused wind warnings from Florida to Canada, CBS News reported.
