Florida Flooding Forces Polling Relocations as Storms Threaten Election Day

Severe flooding in Florida has forced election officials to relocate multiple polling stations ahead of the November 3, 2026, US midterm elections, while a separate storm system threatens travel and voting conditions across the central and southern United States. The disruptions come as voters prepare to elect congressional representatives, senators and governors in closely contested races.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency in seven Atlantic coastal counties after exceptionally heavy rainfall triggered flash floods. At least four precincts in St. Lucie County and five polling locations in Brevard County were moved to protect voters and election workers, according to county election officials.

NBC News described the rainfall in the affected region as "historic" ahead of Election Day. Brevard County Elections Supervisor Tim Bobanic cited "safety and security" concerns when explaining the polling location changes.

Palm Bay experienced approximately 22 inches of rain within 24 hours, making it the hardest-hit community, according to Robert Haley, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in Melbourne. Flooding prompted water rescues and evacuations, while several communities faced road closures.

"The biggest issue is we have a number of roads that are impassable, and the ground is totally saturated. So it’s going to take days for that water to recede," Haley said.

Haley reported that affected locations included Palm Bay, West Melbourne, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie. Additional showers were expected through Tuesday, although the meteorologist estimated a 5% chance of flash flooding on Election Day itself.

"We knew that there was potential for significant rainfall and flash flooding, but the amount certainly exceeded everyone’s expectations," Haley said.

The broader weather system is expected to bring thunderstorms, heavy rainfall and damaging winds across parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. National Weather Service meteorologist Evan Bentley warned that conditions could support severe thunderstorms across the central United States.

"We’ve got some moisture that’s moving up into parts of Texas and Oklahoma and up into Kansas and Missouri, and with that moisture, we’re going to have a chance of storms," Bentley said.

North Texas and Oklahoma could experience straight-line wind gusts exceeding 75 mph, raising concerns about infrastructure damage and localized power outages.

"There’s always concern, when we have the potential for winds of 70 to 80 miles per hour, of having impacts on infrastructure, such as power lines," Bentley said.

Jennifer Tate, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center, identified additional flooding risks around the lower Mississippi River Valley, including Memphis, Tennessee. Rainfall could also affect Mississippi, Missouri and western Tennessee.

"Scattered flash floods are possible" in the lower Mississippi River Valley, Tate said.

The storm system will also affect parts of the Midwest, including Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. Northern California could experience showers, while much of the Northeast, Pacific Northwest and southern California is expected to remain relatively dry.

Weather conditions in the Southwest present another concern. ABC News reported that heavy weekend rainfall triggered evacuation orders in parts of Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. Flood watches covered portions of the region, while some communities faced continuing road closures.

In Pagosa Springs, Colorado, authorities ordered evacuations ahead of potentially historic flooding along the San Juan River. The Archuleta County Sheriff's Office warned residents about rapidly rising water levels.

"The river is rising faster than originally anticipated and is now expected to crest higher than previously forecast," the Archuleta County Sheriff's Office said.

Authorities also urged residents outside mandatory evacuation zones to consider moving to higher ground rather than waiting for conditions to deteriorate.

"Even if you are not currently in a mandatory evacuation area, we strongly encourage anyone who does not feel safe where they are to move to higher ground NOW. Do not wait until conditions worsen," the sheriff's office said.

Colorado Emergency Management officials warned that the river could exceed historical flood levels. During the devastating 1911 flood, the San Juan River reached approximately 17.8 feet.

"To put the forecast into perspective, during the devastating 1911 flood that wiped out most of what existed as the town of Pagosa at that time, the San Juan River crested at approximately 17.8 feet. The current forecast calls for the river to rise nearly 2 feet above that historic level," Colorado Emergency Management officials said.

In Arizona, flooding prompted evacuations in parts of Sedona and Cedar Creek. The White Mountain Apache Tribe also issued evacuation orders, while Sedona Fire deployed additional personnel to handle emergency responses.

"Calling in extra personnel to assist with an excessive amount of rescue operations in the area," Sedona Fire said in an alert.

Weather conditions could influence voter participation, although researchers caution against assuming that rainfall will significantly change election outcomes. Brad Gomez, an associate professor of political science at Florida State University, examined historical presidential election data covering 1948 through 2000.

"What we found was that for every inch of rain that a county received above its average amount of rainfall, voter turnout went down about eight-tenths of 1 percentage point," Gomez said.

However, expanded early voting and mail-in ballots have reduced the number of Americans who must travel to polling locations on Election Day. The US Election Assistance Commission estimates that approximately 37% of Americans now cast their ballots on Election Day.

"Many states started to adopt early voting, and, of course, some states, like Washington and Oregon, started to adopt mail-in voting," Gomez said.

Differences in voting patterns could make weather disruptions more significant in certain states. Gomez noted that approximately 20% of Texas voters cast ballots in person on Election Day in 2024, compared with about 60% in Minnesota and 45% in Kansas.

Thomas Fujiwara, an associate professor of economics at Princeton University who has researched weather-related voting patterns, also identified a decline in rainfall's influence on turnout over time.

"It was stronger in the ’50s and ’60s, and it’s weaker now," Fujiwara said.

"We shouldn’t think of rain being a major driver," Fujiwara added.

Gomez and Fujiwara said changes in voting methods make it difficult to determine which political party could benefit from weather-related disruptions. Election Day voting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, with weather conditions varying significantly across the country.