Via Politico: Helene hit Trump strongholds in Georgia and North Carolina. It could swing the election.
The challenge for Trump: The parts of western North Carolina and eastern Georgia that were flooded by the monster storm are largely Republican. In 2020, he won 61 percent of the vote in the North Carolina counties that were declared a disaster after Helene. He won 54 percent of the vote in Georgia’s disaster counties.
[…]
State records show that nearly 40,000 absentee ballots were mailed to voters in the 25 North Carolina counties that were declared a disaster following Helene. Fewer than 1,000 have been returned.
In eastern Georgia’s heavily Democratic Richmond County, three of four early voting sites appear to be undamaged, county elections chief W. Travis Doss Jr. said Friday. Doss’ staff has also reached out to all 43 election day sites to determine their status, but has not heard back from about 30 of them due to power and internet outages.
[…]
When the North Carolina Legislature meets Wednesday, it could give counties money for emergency polling places and extend both the Oct. 11 registration deadline and the Election Day deadline for mail-in ballots to be received.
And in Georgia, where Monday is the last day to register to vote, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said in a statement that “physical infrastructure” will be in place when early voting starts Oct. 15. Counties “having to relocate early voting locations” must notify voters, Raffensperger added.
It is, of course, impossible to know what the effects will be. But the proximity to the elections coupled with the devastation and commensurate displacements of residences will surely mean many people will not vote. And in races that are this close, such disruptions will affect outcomes.
At a minimum, hopefully state and local authorities will do everything they can to ensure that citizens have access to the ballot box. Of course, other issues such as simply securing the personal well-being of those affected by the storm have to be the top priority. The general challenge of just getting access is a major issues at the moment.
Two other thoughts that in years past would not have needed to be considered.
- I have to wonder how Trump’s ongoing lies about the federal government’s response could sway voters.
- I fear that should Trump lose either state, the disaster will be used to fuel more lies and conspiracies about the election.
This whole situation is very much the post-truth/alternative facts era–despite easy access to quality reporting and information.
Also worth noting is that this is a clear example of the broader consequences of climate change.
