Election Day: Experts concerned voter turnout could be affected by stormy weather
With a massive storm making its way through the Southland, bringing heavy rain, snow and high-powered winds along with it, some experts are concerned that the weather could dampen the voter turnout on Tuesday.
But it seemed the worries were unfounded. By 11 a.m. Tuesday, officials said voter turnout in LA County was already slightly over 20% thanks to early voting.
Firefighters went to the area of the northbound 110 Freeway in the Cypress Park area around 8 a.m., where two vehicles were reportedly seen in the Los Angeles River near Washington Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Neither of the vehicles were occupied and no injuries were reported.
Around 9:35 a.m. it was reported that traffic was being heavily affected on the 110Freeway at Via Marisol due to flooding, with Caltrans workers on the scene to clear drains. Caltrans also reports that the right lanes of southbound Interstate 5 from Branford Street to Sheldon Street/Laurel Canyon Boulevard in Pacoima were closed due to flooding and drainage work.
Up to five inches of precipitation are expected in some areas, which has already caused several regions to be placed under evacuation orders or warnings due to the threat of potential flooding and debris flows.
"It wouldn't stop me," says Victor Ramirez, from Norwalk. "I don't care how bad it is. ... I want to make sure my vote counts."
While some voters say that they'll make sure to do their civic duty on Tuesday regardless of the weather, Zev Yaroslavsky, the Director of the LA Initiative at UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs, said that it could be quite the opposite.
"Rain will make a difference in a close race," Yaroslavsky said, noting that some Republican voters could have their voting opportunities rained out.
Although in years past Democrats tended to vote more in person, while Republicans opted to vote by mail, those trends appear to have taken a 180 in recent elections.
"The whole concept that you should vote in person because vote by mail is fraudulent - the Trump line - has bled into the California republicans as well," he said.
In Orange County, the Library of the Canyons in Silverado, acting as a voting center, has already announced that it will be closed Tuesday due to the weather, which could affect some resident's accessibility to deliver their own votes.
Yaroslavsky also says that some people could change their voting methods because of the weather, and if more opt to vote by mail, the counts could take longer than usual.
He said that this could cause some election night results to turn on their heads as more votes are counted.
"There were many races across the city and the county where people who were ahead on election night lost their elections or were behind by the time all the votes were counted," Yaroslavsky said of the Primary Elections in June.
Voting centers will be open throughout the Southland until 7 p.m. Monday evening, and will reopen at 7 a.m. Tuesday for Election Day.
