Jerry Goldfeder at Just Security:

One take-away from watching Mother Nature cause havoc in the southeastern United States as voters began casting ballots is the glaring absence of a uniform response to handle even such limited election interruption. The affected states responded differently, with no federal guidelines. I have written about this several times over the years, and I continue to be astonished that Congress remains mute.

The last time a natural disaster occurred so close to a presidential election was in 2012. In that year, Superstorm Sandy hit the northeast a mere week before election day and, with many polling places destroyed or damaged and families displaced, New Jersey and New York governors had to improvise. Governor Chris Christie permitted internet and fax voting in the affected areas and Governor Andrew Cuomo lifted certain restrictions as to where people could vote. These make-shift responses worked so-so, but at least many voters had alternatives. Some of us, including Senator Chuck Schumer, urged congressional action, but no plan has been enacted.

This year, the severe hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding in southern states, causing death, destruction of homes and power outages, have hit a month before election day. But early voting and mail-in balloting having become so prevalent, Hurricanes Helene and Milton demolished polling places and displaced election workers, upending voting and necessary preparations.

Inexplicably, most states still have only generalized statutes for such election disruptions, such as a governor having plenary power to suspend existing laws in emergency situations or delegating to an election board authority to enact emergency rules. …