Committee on House Administration Rescheduled Elections Subcommittee Hearing, "Maintaining Election Operations in the Face of Natural Disasters”

Elections

2025-09-16

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Source: Congress.gov

Summary

This meeting of the Subcommittee on Elections focused on the crucial topic of administering elections during and after natural disasters. Members and witnesses underscored the significant challenges posed by severe weather events to the democratic process, emphasizing the need for robust planning and flexible responses to ensure voter access and election integrity[ 00:04:14 ] . The discussion drew upon firsthand experiences from Florida and North Carolina, states frequently impacted by hurricanes and other disasters[ 00:05:33 ] .

Themes

Importance of Preparedness and Planning

Election officials stressed that preparation and planning are paramount for resilient elections in the face of natural disasters, given that federal general elections often coincide with hurricane season[ 00:04:22 ] . These efforts involve having a strategy in place for well-planned modifications, undergoing training for unexpected scenarios, and establishing clear communication channels to voters[ 00:06:08 ] . Florida's approach emphasizes robust emergency plans, pre-positioning resources, and game-planning scenarios to address specific county needs with targeted solutions. North Carolina also highlighted the necessity of careful planning, an "all-hazards approach," and continuous training to ensure elections proceed even with disruptions.

Challenges and Logistical Problems During Natural Disasters

Natural disasters, such as Hurricane Helene in North Carolina and multiple hurricanes in Florida, can severely disrupt election administration by damaging or destroying polling stations, voting infrastructure, power, and communication lines[ 00:04:31 ] . These events cause widespread power outages, telecommunication failures, and road closures, making communication between state and local officials incredibly difficult and affecting ballot delivery[ 00:17:49 ]

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. Officials recounted instances where county election offices were closed, and staff communication was limited or nonexistent due to downed infrastructure[ 00:19:00 ]

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. The ability to restore basic services and infrastructure is critical, and election officials must adapt to issues like humidity impacting ballot paper[ 00:15:29 ]

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Flexibility and Adaptability in Election Administration

States have adopted flexible responses and emergency actions to address disaster-related disruptions, emphasizing that delaying or suspending elections is not an option[ 00:06:43 ] . Florida utilized executive orders to establish additional early voting sites, amend reporting requirements, and extend eligibility verification deadlines, tailoring solutions to specific county needs. North Carolina implemented bipartisan emergency directives, allowing flexibility for counties to adjust absentee ballot procedures, relocate polling places, and appoint officials from outside precincts[ 00:20:55 ]

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. These adaptations aim to maintain voter confidence and ensure every legal ballot is counted, even if it means delivering tents or portable toilets to polling sites[ 00:06:58 ]

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Role of Federal and State Funding and Resources

The discussion highlighted differing views on federal funding for election administration and disaster preparedness. Some members criticized proposed federal budget cuts to agencies like FEMA and the reduction in election funding, noting that $15 million in proposed election funding is a "drop in the ocean". Witnesses underscored the critical role of federal and state emergency funds in immediate disaster response. North Carolina's experience showed that federal and state emergency management provided immediate resources like portable toilets, tents, and satellite devices when legislative funds were delayed. There was a strong call for consistent and adequate funding to equip election officials, even under normal circumstances, let alone during disasters.

Bipartisan Cooperation

Several speakers highlighted successful bipartisan cooperation in navigating election challenges during natural disasters. In North Carolina, the State Board of Elections and county boards made emergency decisions with bipartisan support, ensuring flexibility without political gamesmanship[ 00:20:45 ]

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. These bipartisan directives allowed counties to adapt to difficult realities and focused on restoring consistency and voter confidence[ 00:21:10 ]

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. Such cooperation was presented as a testament to the American spirit in recovery efforts[ 00:21:26 ]

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Voter Access and Turnout

Despite significant disruptions from natural disasters, efforts were made to ensure voters could still cast their ballots, sometimes leading to remarkable turnout rates[ 00:05:05 ] . In North Carolina, voter turnout in disaster-affected areas was higher than the statewide average, attributed to civic pride and community resilience[ 00:21:17 ]

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. Florida also saw high voter turnout in severely impacted counties, with some areas reaching 90.9% turnout, demonstrating citizens' desire to vote even when displaced. Ensuring continuity of elections and providing options for displaced voters, including first responders, was a key priority.

Tone of the Meeting

The tone of the meeting was largely serious and concerned, reflecting the gravity of ensuring secure and accessible elections amid increasing natural disasters[ 00:04:05 ] . While there was a consensus on the importance of the topic and appreciation for election officials' efforts, some partisan differences emerged regarding federal funding and climate change policy. Nevertheless, speakers emphasized the American spirit of cooperation and determination to uphold democratic processes, even in challenging circumstances[ 00:21:26 ]

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Participants

Transcript

Also without objection the hearing record will remain open for five legislative days So members may submit any materials they wish to be included therein Thank You ranking member Morelli members of the committee and our witnesses for participating in today's hearing   Free, fair, and secure elections are critical to the democratic process.  The Committee on House Administration has broad oversight of federal election policy.  Today, the Subcommittee on Elections continues that oversight with a discussion on election administration during natural disasters.   While laws dictate the time, manner, and place for elections, one factor that is out of our control is the weather.  Federal general elections coincide with hurricane season, and the 2024 general election demonstrated firsthand how Mother Nature can impact election administration.   While natural disasters may not be the first thing that comes to mind for election administration, our local leaders have experienced them and know that they must be prepared for disasters that could strike at any moment.  In the case of Hurricane Helene and so many that came before it, millions of Americans faced unexpected obstacles when it was time to cast their ballots, and election officials did their best to ensure that every legal ballot was counted.   Today, we will examine how state and local election officials dealt with both logistical and physical problems while administering elections in the aftermath of storms.  Their experiences will show how preparation and planning for emergency weather is crucial to secure elections and voter access.   As the former Secretary of State for the state of Florida, which has been hit by more hurricanes than any other state since 1851, I know firsthand how challenging it can be to administer an election in the face of a natural disaster.  Our witnesses today have faced similar challenges when administering elections during extreme weather or while their state is trying to recover from storm damage.
Both North Carolina and Florida have been left devastated by hurricanes.   And today they will highlight best practices for ensuring smooth election operations before and after natural disaster strikes.   Before a natural disaster strikes, state and local election officials should have a strategy in place and be prepared to execute well-planned modifications to keep elections secure, maintain voter confidence and protect high voter turnout.  These preparation and planning efforts can help election officials, voters and state and local jurisdictions ensure that ballots can be cast on time and in a safe manner.   Additionally, election officials should undergo training to address additional unexpected scenarios that a natural disaster could cause before, during, and after Election Day.  Clear and effective communication to eligible voters in the case of an emergency is critical.  North Carolina and Florida have each implemented best practices and shown success in ensuring voters' voices are still heard when a natural disaster strikes close to an election.   Today's hearing will detail these best practices as an example for state and local officials across the country.  Election laws in North Carolina and Florida demonstrate that all statutes can authorize flexible and appropriate responses to natural disasters close to Election Day.   Consistency in election processes increases trust amongst voters.  However, natural disasters threaten consistency, particularly when they hit close to an election.  No matter the circumstances, voters must be confident that their voices will be heard.  I want to thank our witnesses for being here today.  I look forward to the discussion.  With that, I yield to Ranking Member Morelli for an opening statement.
Well, thank you.  Good afternoon, everyone.  Thank you, Chairwoman Lee, and thank you to my dear friend, the ranking member of the subcommittee, Ms.  Sewell, and thank you to the witnesses for being here today.  I think this is, as Chair Lee and I said, this is the third time we've tried to organize this, so third time is a charm, it turns out.  But this is really a very, very important conversation to have, and I'm grateful to the Chair for pulling us all together, and again, to all the witnesses for being here.   and i think it's important to kind of take stock of the moment that we're in a recent report found that last year there were 27 individual weather and climate disasters with at least a billion dollars in property damages that's really pretty extraordinary as the number continues to grow in the amount of damage that storms do   Unfortunately, the administration continues to deny the climate crisis, denying science, and actively impairing our readiness to respond.  Back in June, I sent a letter to FEMA expressing concern over the lack of publicly accessible data on how and where federal resources are allocated.   In response to federal disasters, a problem which has gotten even worse since January, the new administration, as the hurricane season began, the President's FEMA had reportedly said that he was unaware hurricane season had started.  I'm assuming that was a joke, but joking or not, it's not funny and it's unacceptable.   We have seen, since the beginning of this year, fired federal workers, ended grant programs that have long built resiliency and mitigated the impacts of disasters and actively dismantling agencies that support our critical infrastructure.  A recent GAO report found that the recent cuts to FEMA have severely impacted the government's ability to respond to hurricane season like last year's.  Natural disasters and severe weather events and the damage they inflict
are not going to stop, regardless of whether we bury our head in the proverbial sand or not.  They're coming whether we like it or not.  And these actions do not strengthen our elections or our democracy.  In fact, they make us less secure.  Disasters do not care about partisan affiliation, and they don't care that it's election day.  They do not care if a person is rich or poor, and our response to them should not either.   When Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey just days before the 2012 presidential election, hard to believe it's that long ago, it displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused significant damage, yet we still needed to carry on a presidential election.  And the same thing happened in North Carolina just last year, which was referenced by the chair.  Hurricane Helene hit the state in late September of 2024.

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