Changes to Early Voting and Voter Registration Due to Superstorm Sandy
In light of Superstorm Sandy, some states enacted changes in voting dates. Many thanks to the Atlas Project for compiling this helpful summary of updates and changes.
Connecticut: Gov. Daniel Malloy signed an executive order on Sunday extending the voter-registration deadline to 8 p.m. on Thursday. The original deadline was Tuesday.
Election Officials Contact: (860) 509-6100
Delaware: The state's registration deadline was Oct. 13, and the state does not offer early in-person voting or no-excuse absentee voting, so no changes to voting in the state have been announced.
Election Officials Contact: (302) 739-4277
Florida: The storm had no effect on early voting.
Election Officials Contact: (866) 308-6739
Georgia: The storm had no effect on early voting.
Election Officials Contact: (404) 656-2871
Maine: There are no changes to voting procedures due to the storm.
Election Officials Contact: (207) 624-7736
Maryland: Gov. Martin O'Malley had issued two executive orders cancelling early voting on Monday and Tuesday, with early voting expected to resume early on Wednesday morning. Early voting, which began on Oct. 27, will also be extended to Friday, and the hours for voting each day have been extended to run from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m.
Election Officials Contact: (800) 222-8683
Massachusetts: There's no change to voting procedures; the state does not offer early in-person voting or no-excuse vote-by-mail.
Election Officials Contact: (617) 727-2470
New Hampshire: There are no changes to voting procedures; the state does not offer early in-person voting or no-excuse vote-by-mail.
Election Officials Contact: (603) 271-3242
New Jersey: Mail-in ballot applications are due on Tuesday, but there no word about whether that deadline will be extended, according to the New Jersey Department of State's website. The deadline to return mail-in ballots is 3 p.m. on Nov. 5, the day before the election. The state does not allow early in-person voting.
Election Officials Contact: (877) NJVOTER / (658-6837)
New York: The state doesn't allow early in-person voting. Election Day polling locations may change. The deadline for all voters to apply to vote by mail has been extend from October 30 to November 2; therefore, all applications to vote by mail must be received by mail or fax no later than Friday, November 2. The in-person deadline remains Monday, November 5.
In addition, the deadline for absentee ballots to be received and counted has changed from 7 days after Election Day to 13 days after Election Day. Ballots must still be postmarked no later than Monday, November 5; however, they now have until November 19 to arrive at the local Board of Elections.
Election Officials Contact: (518) 474-6220
North Carolina: Early voting in some counties was cancelled over the weekend. Early voting in Buxton at the Fessenden Center, however, was cancelled on Tuesday due to flooding, and the county elections office in Burnsville plans to close on Tuesday at 5 p.m.
Election Officials Contact: (919) 733-7173
Ohio: Although the state allows in-person early voting and no-excuse voting by mail, the storm has had no effect on voting.
Election Officials Contact: (877) SOS-OHIO (767-6446)
Pennsylvania: The state doesn't allow in-person early voting or no-excuse voting by mail; the storm has had no effect.
Election Officials Contact: (717) 787-6458
Rhode Island: The state doesn't allow in-person early voting or no-excuse voting by mail; the storm has had no effect.
Election Officials Contact: (401) 222-2345
South Carolina: The state doesn't allow in-person early voting or no-excuse voting by mail; the storm has had no effect.
Election Officials Contact: (803) 734-9060
Washington, D.C.: Although early voting began in the District on Oct. 22, according to the D.C. Board of Elections website, it was suspended on Monday and cancelled on Tuesday due to the storm. As of early Tuesday afternoon, no decision has been made on whether or not early voting will resume on Wednesday, according to the website.
Election Officials Contact: (202) 727-2525
West Virginia: Early voting in the counties of Braxton, Jefferson, Morgan, Nicholas, Preston, and Randolph was suspended for Tuesday only. Early voting is continuing in all other counties on Tuesday, and in all counties through Nov. 3.
Election Officials Contact: 866-767-8683 (866-SOS-VOTE)
Virginia: Although 21 voter offices, mostly in the northern part of the state, were closed on Monday, all but nine were open on Tuesday. The nine include those in the counties of Accomack, Arlington, Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun, Tazewell, and Wise, and the cities of Falls Church and Norton. Absentee ballots were supposed to be returned by mail on Tuesday, but some of the affected voter offices will still accept ballots after the deadline, once the offices open and mail resumes.
Election Officials Contact: (800) 552-9745