DeSantis declares state of emergency in seven Florida counties ahead of Tuesday elections
Flooded roads and closed schools in central and southern Florida have forced election officials to locate new polling places for voters on Election Day.
By Elena Vargas ·
Voters in seven Florida counties face potential changes to their polling locations on Tuesday as heavy rains continue to disrupt travel and infrastructure. Governor Ron DeSantis signed an executive order on Monday afternoon declaring a state of emergency in Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties. The order empowers local election supervisors to move voting sites if current locations become unsafe or inaccessible due to flooding.
State law requires officials to designate a new, accessible polling place during such emergencies and post notice at the original site. Gretl Plessinger, director of communications for the Department of State, confirmed that the Division of Elections is coordinating with the affected counties to ensure compliance with these requirements.
Brevard County has been hit hard by the weather. Schools canceled classes for both Monday and Tuesday, and major roads were closed for parts of the day as water inundated large areas. Tim Bobanic, the Brevard County Supervisor of Elections, said he is working with local emergency management to determine if the waters will recede in time for Tuesday’s vote.
Bobanic noted that most of the county’s polling sites are already set up and operational. However, his offices in Titusville, Melbourne, and Palm Bay closed on Monday due to weather conditions, while the Viera site remained open. A canvassing board meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon was also canceled. Bobanic assured residents that voting will proceed on Tuesday, stating, “Yes, we are conducting an election tomorrow.”
Florida has managed storm-related election disruptions in the past. In 2018, Hurricane Michael struck the Panhandle as a Category 5 storm, prompting then-Governor Rick Scott to authorize alternative polling sites. That storm made landfall on October 10, giving officials more lead time to notify voters. The current weather event has arrived with less warning, creating a tighter timeline for communication.
Bobanic said his team is evaluating conditions with city and town management. He added that officials will do their best to spread the word about any last-minute location changes. Voters can check the Brevard elections website to see which specific polling places have been relocated due to the flooding.
Source: NBC 6 South Florida
