DeSantis authorizes election changes in Helene-affected Florida counties through executive order | Politics

TALLAHASSEE — Responding to a request for flexibility in storm-ravaged areas, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday issued an executive order authorizing election changes in 10 counties attempting to get better from Hurricane Helene.

DeSantis' order permits supervisors of elections in closely broken areas to make changes to early voting websites and to arrange consolidated voting facilities the place individuals can forged ballots. The order additionally loosens restrictions on requests for mail-in ballots and permits state staff to take paid administrative depart to function ballot staff on Election Day. The governor's motion got here as supervisors all through the state are mailing ballots to voters for the Nov. 5 election.

DeSantis introduced the order throughout a media availability in Anna Maria, one of many Gulf Coast communities the place the large storm triggered widespread flooding. The order will permit elections supervisors to make changes in Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and Taylor counties.

Thursday's order is not going to have an effect on “voter security efforts,” DeSantis mentioned.

“None of those are being lifted. But if there's a polling place that's been destroyed, you have an ability to set up a different site, provide proper notice and follow all the rest of state law, but this will ensure that residents that were impacted by this storm and displaced, maybe, still have the ability to vote in November's election,” he informed reporters.

Florida Supervisors of Elections Executive Director David Ramba on Tuesday requested Secretary of State Cord Byrd for flexibility in counties the place election infrastructure has been broken.

“Hurricane Helene has displaced countless voters and poll workers from their homes in a number of impacted counties,” Ramba wrote.

The supervisors “appreciate the quick response from Secretary Byrd and Governor DeSantis to address the issues we have to face as a result of this devastating storm, and hope these provide for a smooth voting experience to those Floridians impacted by Hurricane Helene,” Ramba mentioned in a textual content message Thursday.

Under state regulation, supervisors are barred from transferring voting areas to different websites lower than 30 days earlier than the election. Thursday's order permits supervisors in the ten counties “in his/her discretion, to relocate or consolidate any polling location if the supervisor finds that the continuing impacts of Hurricane Helene so warrant.”

Supervisors additionally will probably be allowed to designate new areas for vote-by-mail drop containers. Elections officers in affected areas additionally will be capable of mail ballots to voters' momentary addresses, just like the method used for army or abroad voters. Mail-in ballots additionally might be forwarded to different addresses for voters in the ten counties.

DeSantis' order additionally permits supervisors in the affected counties to coordinate with elections officers outdoors of the impacted areas “to ensure voting opportunities for those affected by Hurricane Helene.” The effort additionally seeks to make sure that individuals who evacuated and are unable to return house — together with these in nursing houses or hospitals — will obtain mail-in ballots or be capable of vote on Election Day.

It's not the primary time the state has granted flexibility to elections officers in the aftermath of a serious storm.

Local elections officers have been allowed to consolidate polling locations after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida in September 2022 and Hurricane Michael hit Northwest Florida in October 2018.

The state additionally allowed eight counties that sustained harm in Michael to arrange momentary polling locations and early voting websites and to ship ballots to different counties for tabulation. Some counties, corresponding to Bay, arrange “mega” areas that have been obtainable to all voters no matter their addresses for early voting and Election Day.