Florida Moves Polling Sites After Flooding on Election Day

Florida officials moved polling locations in seven counties on Election Day, November 3, after heavy rain and flooding threatened access to voting sites. Gov. Ron DeSantis declared an emergency in seven counties, while the state Department of State listed polling-place changes in seven counties. The lists do not cover identical counties, and the reports do not establish a final count of affected sites. The Department of State identified relocations in Brevard, Highlands, Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties. The emergency order, Executive Order 26-227, covered Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties. Okeechobee and Palm Beach were on the polling-change list but not the emergency-order list; DeSoto and Hardee were covered by the order but not on the state’s polling-change list. The state’s election resources page said the relocations could change and advised voters to confirm their assigned location with the Department of State or their county supervisor of elections. In Brevard County, several precincts were reassigned to sites in Melbourne and Palm Bay. Other listed changes included moving a Highlands...