Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Experts: Team Obama Should Root for Hurricane Sandy to Interrupt Election
US News ^ | Oct 25, 2012 | Jason Koebler

Posted on 10/25/2012 10:40:41 PM PDT by 11th_VA

It's been called "snowicane" and "worse than the perfect storm," and it could knock out power in the mid-Atlantic through Election Day.

Hurricane Sandy hasn't even made it past the Bahamas yet, but Sandy, or any natural disaster around Election Day, could wreak extreme havoc on the election, experts say.

[PHOTOS: Hurricane Sandy Threatens Caribbean]

Political scientists have long studied the effects of rain and inclement weather on voter turnout and, not surprisingly, have found many people would rather stay at home than brave the weather. But more extreme storms or natural disasters that affect an entire state or region could turn a mild inconvenience into a huge mess.

That's because there are few federal election procedure laws, Robert Pastor, co-director of the Center for Democracy and Election Management says. Election process is generally left up to state or local governments, who Pastor says are "least capable of handling a statewide or regional disaster."

Most states have contingency plans in case a state of emergency is declared on Election Day. In Virginia, which could be hit hard by Sandy, Governor Bob McDonnell can postpone the election for up to 14 days, leading to all sorts of logistical issues...

(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: electionday2012; emergency; hurricanesandy; mcdonnell
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-79 next last
To: snarkytart
If Sandy does brush the Northeast it’ll be Sunday into Monday. I’m sure everything will be okay by the following Tuesday on election day.

Maybe as late as Tues/Wed for it to push on into central PA & wherever, but even then, we can send the best power-restoration crews from OG&E in Oklahoma and other states to help our friends in the NE.
41 posted on 10/26/2012 3:25:19 AM PDT by CaptSkip
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

I suspect the folks at the Weather Channel are lusting after a weather disaster to make them seem important again. This hurricane is getting them all excited. I hope it fizzles out for their sake.


42 posted on 10/26/2012 3:41:21 AM PDT by arthurus (Read Hazlitt's Economics In One Lesson ONLINE www.fee.org/library/books/economics-in-one-lesson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

The latest models have this hitting land in the mid-atlantic by late Monday and hanging around for two-three days. The weather guys around are very reliable so we in VA should expect lots of power outages and the last time, they lasted a few days, longer on the DelMarVa peninsula. It will probably be worse for PA and NH.

I expect shenanigans and pleas to keep the polling places open because poor people can’t get to the booths in time.


43 posted on 10/26/2012 3:50:55 AM PDT by newnhdad (Where will you be during the Election Riots of 2012/2013?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: octex

why early? So they can vote again in closer districts and again on election day.


44 posted on 10/26/2012 3:54:25 AM PDT by newnhdad (Where will you be during the Election Riots of 2012/2013?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy

“Please, don’t pull claims out of your arse. The forecast calls for a blocking high up in the Canadian Maritimes that will push the storm into the Mid-Atlantic. This is a potential major, MAJOR storm. People need to take it seriously.”

Exactly, If it hit next week in the mid-Atlantic (NJ,Delaware, PA) as a Category 1 hurricane or a strong tropical storm it can knock electricity out for millions of people for over a week or two weeks, like hurricane Irene did to New England last year. That is between the potential winds, flood, snow and ice. Yes that (timeline) would put you till election day.


45 posted on 10/26/2012 4:04:30 AM PDT by castlegreyskull
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]

To: octex; berdie; Irenic; newnhdad

Just a thought having read somewhere before about Democrat election stunts, and that is the more Democrats that vote early the quicker, the easier it is for them to determine how many votes they need to manufacture one way or the other to win.


46 posted on 10/26/2012 4:06:19 AM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will, they ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Aren’t these dumb @ss liberals aware of that new device called a generator?


47 posted on 10/26/2012 4:14:38 AM PDT by poobear (Socialism, in the minds of the elites, is a con-game for the serfs, nothing more.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

The only states that could be affected in terms of the electoral college would be Pennsylvania and Virginia.

If the Philly area were hit hard while the rest of the state was not...

In VA it would depend which area was affected, the DC area or some area in southern VA. So it could go either way.

The storm is well ahead of election day, so I think we are talking only about long term power outages in terms of affecting turnout.


48 posted on 10/26/2012 4:25:14 AM PDT by ChronicMA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Link: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/10/25/experts-team-obama-should-root-for-hurricane-sandy-to-interrupt-election


49 posted on 10/26/2012 4:25:40 AM PDT by PghBaldy (Obama in a binder!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: octex

Yes. To look for fraud, people here have to be election observers. Hard enough to get volunteers for one day, let alone weeks. I don’t know how it works in other places, but anything Dems are for implies fraud and wrongdoing.


50 posted on 10/26/2012 4:29:14 AM PDT by PghBaldy (Obama in a binder!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: tsowellfan
They re calling for high winds in the North East - could knock out power for a while. It has the potential to seriously affect the election:

http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/depression-storm-eighteen-20121020

51 posted on 10/26/2012 4:37:02 AM PDT by PghBaldy (Obama in a binder!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Losing power in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast hurts Obama much more than Romney. Trust me, Romeny voters are motivated to go to the polls come hell or high water.


52 posted on 10/26/2012 4:42:36 AM PDT by rbg81
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: rbg81

I will walk, trudge, crawl, or swim if I have to, to get to a voting booth to vote out this administration!!! I would walk twenty miles if I had to ...

I do feel if it knocks power out, it’s going to disrupt this election. Northern Virginia is very slow to get its act in gear with power outages.

Pretty amazing this is happening right now.


53 posted on 10/26/2012 5:11:02 AM PDT by LibsRJerks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: octex

Wondering if they don’t clear the name from the role and then someone who has a list of early voters can go vote using those names on Election Day?


54 posted on 10/26/2012 5:16:03 AM PDT by Honeybunch ("Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." ~Rudyard Kipling)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: 11th_VA

Obama could declare a national emergency if the East Coast from VA to Maine is really impacted and call for rescheduling the election
This situation has the potential for being a real crisis


55 posted on 10/26/2012 5:16:43 AM PDT by uncbob
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MacMattico; eyedigress; snarkytart; dirtboy; All

Nice maps of possible tracks here:

http://www.wral.com/weather/hurricanes/page/5878513/ (click on map and drag to move)

http://hurricane.accuweather.com/hurricane/interactive-tracker.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=1

http://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/atlantic

For MA Tues is the big day.


56 posted on 10/26/2012 5:17:59 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Come to the Lord Jesus as a contrite damned+destitute sinner, trust Him to save you, then live 4 Him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: CaptSkip; OKSooner

And just like in other disasters, the Mormon church would be early on the scene with aid to those affected. Take that, Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson and Rev. Wright.


57 posted on 10/26/2012 5:22:13 AM PDT by Honeybunch ("Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." ~Rudyard Kipling)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 41 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212

I’m a broken glass voter, and so are most Republicans at this point of the game.


58 posted on 10/26/2012 5:24:18 AM PDT by mware (By all that you hold dear on this good earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212; All

here as well:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/graphics_at3.shtml?5-daynl?large#contents


59 posted on 10/26/2012 5:27:43 AM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: tsowellfan

I think the real fear lies in the power being out for several days prior to the election.


60 posted on 10/26/2012 5:42:40 AM PDT by cornfedcowboy (Trust in God, but empty the clip.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-79 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson