OAN Staff Blake Wolf
10:06 AM – Monday, October 7, 2024
Hurricane Helen has battered several states in the Southeast, causing significant damage to Republican strongholds in the battleground states of Georgia and North Carolina, potentially affecting the outcome of the election.
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As the November election approaches, areas of western North Carolina and eastern Georgia that have been hit by heavy flooding are largely Republican strongholds. As you might imagine, individuals in such situations have much more pressing concerns other than voting, which could very well impact turnout.
More than 200 people were killed in the hurricane, and about half of them were reported to be in North Carolina. Many survivors still have no water or electricity.
Floods, power outages, and lack of access to food and water can displace residents, impact postal services, complicate the mail-in voting process, and deter voters from participating if they are unable to do so. .
In the 2020 election, former President Donald Trump won 61% of the vote in North Carolina counties declared a disaster due to Hurricane Helen. Similarly, he received 54% of the vote in Georgia's disaster-declared counties.
Michael Morley, a law professor at Florida State University known for his research on elections after natural disasters and emergencies, said the hurricane's impact “creates new and unexpected barriers to voting.”
“This imposes an additional unanticipated burden on election administrators, places additional strain on election management systems, and requires election administrators to take urgent action.” [to] “It's about mitigating the impact of the hurricane on elections overall and, more specifically, on people's ability to participate in elections,” Morley continued.
Approximately 17% of registered voters in North Carolina serve as disaster area chairs, affecting approximately 1.3 million voters, according to a report by Michael Bitzer, a professor of politics and history at Catawba College in Salisbury, North Carolina. .
“Trying to hold an election is going to be a huge undertaking.” [a] That's a quarter of the counties in North Carolina,” Bitzer said. “We are at a critical moment in terms of holding elections, and it will take a lot of effort to figure out how to make them happen.”
Election offices in affected areas are closed, but North Carolina election officials say they are confident all counties are ready for early voting scheduled for October 17th. I am doing it.th.
“At the very least, counties and election boards, election officials and staff know it's up to them to make sure the voices of voters are heard, so they're going to do the best they can,” Bitzer continued. Ta.
“In a state like North Carolina where margins matter, every little tweak to voters can be a difference-making tweak,” said Chris Cooper, a political scientist at Western Carolina University. “It's right on the razor's edge between red and blue.”
Meanwhile, Georgia election officials are working to ensure Georgia residents' voices are heard as early voting is scheduled for Oct. 15.th.
“We need first responders to finish their jobs, but now that power has been restored and polling places can be evaluated, we can make sure the upcoming election is safe and secure for all Georgia voters,” the Georgia Secretary of State said in a statement. We will strive to make it safe and convenient.” Brad Raffensperger.
There is still plenty of time for voters in affected areas to cast their votes, but the deadline to register to vote is October 7th.thThis can be a problem for affected individuals who have not yet enrolled and have more pressing priorities. It remains to be seen whether the voter registration deadline will be extended.
A 2022 study by Kevin Morris, a voting policy scholar at the Brennan Center for Justice, found that in 2018, after Hurricane Michael caused severe damage to Florida counties, It was found that voter turnout had dropped significantly.
“if [a voter’s] “If you find that your polling place has suddenly been moved because your home has been damaged or for other reasons, maybe that's making it harder for you to vote,” Morris said. “Much of the decline in turnout was due to polling place closures around the Panhandle.”
Asked by reporters if he was worried about the possibility of losing votes, former President Trump replied, “I'm not thinking about the voters right now.” I'm thinking about life. To be honest, it's much bigger than the others. ”
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