Gov. DeSantis declares emergency in 7 counties across Florida as flooding threatens Election Day polling sites

Torrential rain along Florida's central and eastern coastline and in some inland counties has flooded roads, led to school shutdowns in some counties, and prompted election officials to find alternative polling places in affected areas.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday afternoon issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties.

Included in the order is a provision allowing local supervisors of elections in affected areas to designate new polling places at sites that are unsafe or where voters can't reach them because roads are blocked by flooding. State law requires election officials to "designate a new polling place which shall be accessible to the public on election day" when a state of emergency is in effect, and to post a notice at the old polling place informing voters of the alternative precinct.

"The Division of Elections is in contact with the counties impacted and will respond pursuant to state law, as necessary," Department of State director of communications Gretl Plessinger stated in an email.

Brevard County canceled schools Monday and Tuesday, and several roads were closed for part of the day as heavy rains inundated large swathes of the county.

Brevard Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic was hopeful the waters would recede by Tuesday, but was still looking for alternative polling places if the original sites were inaccessible.

"Yes, we are conducting an election tomorrow," Bobanic told the News Service of Florida. "Actually, a majority of my sites are already set up and ready to go. We're still evaluating – I'm having conversations with city and town management with the (emergency operations center)."

Some of Bobanic's offices in Titusville, Melbourne and Palm Bay were closed Monday due to the weather conditions, but its Viera site was open, according to the Brevard elections website. A canvassing board meeting originally set for Monday afternoon, however, was canceled.  

Hurricane-prone Florida has dealt with storm-related disruptions to its elections before. In 2018, when Hurricane Michael swept through the Panhandle as a Category 5, then-Gov. Rick Scott issued an order setting up alternative polling sites in the affected areas.

But Michael made landfall on Oct. 10, giving residents more time to learn where the new polling sites would be. The sudden nature of the latest weather disruption means officials will be scrambling to tell voters where to cast their ballots on Tuesday if new polling places are deemed necessary.

"We will get the word out the best we can," Bobanic said.