Staff Reports
The weather decided to crash the polls. Governor Ron DeSantis signed Executive Order 26-227 after sudden heavy rains and flash flooding made dozens of voting sites unsafe or unreachable across Florida. This emergency move gives local election supervisors the authority to shift polling places on short notice so voters and poll workers aren’t put in harm’s way.
What the executive order does
Executive Order 26-227 declares a state of emergency in seven counties and explicitly allows supervisors of elections to designate alternate Election Day polling places when original sites are unsafe or inaccessible. The order also mobilizes state emergency resources — pumps, high‑water vehicles and generators — to help keep communities and election operations functioning. In plain English: the governor used the legal tools available to prevent voters from having to wade through floodwaters to cast a ballot.
Counties affected and how many polling places moved
The emergency declaration names Brevard, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties. State and local reporting shows more than 20 polling places — roughly 25 by some counts — were listed for relocation across the affected areas. The Division of Elections published lists of changed locations and supervisors are working to notify voters, while county officials call conditions “unprecedented” because roads and buildings were suddenly underwater.
Safety first, but notice the timing problem
Officials are right to prioritize safety. “The Division of Elections is in contact with the counties impacted and will respond pursuant to state law, as necessary,” said Department of State director of communications Gretl Plessinger. Brevard County Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic noted many sites were already set up and that teams were coordinating with local emergency centers to keep things running. Still, moving polls the day before or the morning of an election compresses the notice window and risks confusing voters — something officials must fix fast without turning a common-sense move into chaos.
What voters should do — and a word to election officials
If you plan to vote in or near the named counties, don’t assume your usual polling place is open. Check your county supervisor’s official notices and the Division of Elections’ emergency postings before you leave home. Election officials did the right thing by acting quickly; now they must be relentless about clear, redundant outreach — texts, robocalls, signs, and social media — so last‑minute moves don’t suppress turnout. And to the politicos who love to whine about “changes” at the ballot box: this wasn’t politics, it was plumbing. Wet school gym floors don’t care which party you like.
In the end, the governor used the authority Floridians expect in a crisis, supervisors moved sites to protect people, and now everyone from state officials to county clerks needs to make sure that safety didn’t come at the cost of access. Voters and poll workers deserve both — and a little honesty about how quickly emergency plans will be communicated. Check before you go, bring patience, and leave the wading boots at home.
