DeSantis issues executive order authorizing election changes to Helene-impacted Florida counties
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 trying to recover from Hurricane Helene.
DeSantis' order allows supervisors of elections in heavily damaged areas to make changes to early voting sites and to set up consolidated voting centers where people can cast ballots. The order also loosens restrictions on requests for mail-in ballots and allows state employees to take paid administrative leave to serve as poll workers on Election Day. The governor's action came as supervisors throughout the state are mailing ballots to voters for the Nov. 5 election.
DeSantis announced the order during a media availability in Anna Maria, one of the Gulf Coast communities where the massive storm caused widespread flooding. The order will allow elections supervisors to make changes in Charlotte, Citrus, Dixie, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Pinellas, Manatee, Sarasota and Taylor counties.
Thursday's order will not affect "voter security efforts," DeSantis said.
"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 told reporters.
Florida Supervisors of Elections Executive Director David Ramba on Tuesday asked Secretary of State Cord Byrd for flexibility in counties where election infrastructure has been damaged.
"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 said in a text message Thursday.
Under state law, supervisors are barred from moving voting locations to other sites less than 30 days before the election. Thursday's order allows supervisors in the 10 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 also will be allowed to designate new locations for vote-by-mail drop boxes. Elections officials in affected areas also will be able to mail ballots to voters' temporary addresses, similar to the process used for military or overseas voters. Mail-in ballots also can be forwarded to other addresses for voters in the 10 counties.
DeSantis' order also allows supervisors in the affected counties to coordinate with elections officials outside of the impacted areas "to ensure voting opportunities for those affected by Hurricane Helene." The effort also seeks to ensure that people who evacuated and are unable to return home — including those in nursing homes or hospitals — will receive mail-in ballots or be able to vote on Election Day.
It's not the first time the state has granted flexibility to elections officials in the aftermath of a major storm.
Local elections officials were allowed to consolidate polling places after Hurricane Ian hit Southwest Florida in September 2022 and Hurricane Michael hit Northwest Florida in October 2018.
The state also allowed eight counties that sustained damage in Michael to set up temporary polling places and early voting sites and to send ballots to other counties for tabulation. Some counties, such as Bay, set up "mega" locations that were available to all voters regardless of their addresses for early voting and Election Day.
