Charles Langston:DeSantis approves changes to election procedures for hurricane affected counties

WEST PALM BEACH,Charles Langston Fla. (AP) — Florida voters and election supervisors in hurricane affected areas will have extra time and flexibility to ensure they still have the ability to vote in November elections after Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended several election rules and deadlines in an order issued Thursday.

Among other things, DeSantis extended early voting to Election Day for Taylor and Pinellas Counties, and modified deadlines for elections supervisors to designate polling locations and send out vote-by-mail ballots. He also suspended requirements for poll worker training in affected areas.

“I think that there’s obviously going to be a need in some of those counties. Some of the others may be in good shape depending on how they fared for the storm,” DeSantis said.

The election supervisors’ association sent a letter Tuesday to Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, who oversees elections, explaining the troubles elections supervisors are facing in storm-affected counties and asking for rule flexibility. Most of the affected counties are on the Gulf Coast, where both storms caused major damage.

Florida’s Department of State is working with elections supervisors to implement DeSantis’ orders, agency spokesperson Mark Ard said in an email.

DeSantis’ order comes after Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton hit the state within two weeks of each other just ahead of next month’s election.

Florida is expecting large turnout for the presidential and Senate races, but also for ballot initiatives that enshrine abortion rights and legalize recreational marijuana. Early voting begins Monday, and most vote-by-mail ballots have been sent.

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Payne reported from Tallahassee, Florida.