Will Helene scuttle any plans for the Georgia election?

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger says his office continues to coordinate directly with election offices in Georgia’s 159 counties to ensure elections remain on schedule and that counties have the resources necessary for a rapid recovery of Hurricane Helene.

According to Raffensperger, the physical infrastructure required to conduct an election will be fully operational before the early in-person voting period begins.

“Election workers across Georgia had begun testing equipment and facilities prior to the election that will be used in the 2024 election,” Raffensperger said. “My office is working hard to ensure that poll workers in affected counties are safe, that their equipment is undamaged and secure, and that their early voting locations will be operational by the time early voting begins.”

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Poor road conditions and ongoing power outages were scattered across southern, central and eastern parts of Georgia starting Wednesday, slowing assessment processes in some areas hardest hit by the storm, which raged ashore as a strong Category 4 hurricane in Florida before it quickly moved to Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

“Georgia’s Emergency Management Agency, management personnel from Georgia Power and other utilities, all state and local first responders, and legions of citizen volunteers and faith-based organizations are doing tremendous work to get people fed, sheltered and back on their feet,” Raffensperger said. “But this was a massive and deadly storm and recovery will likely take a while. We applaud Governor Kemp for making the response a priority.”

Raffensperger added that any counties required to move early voting locations will notify voters through the My Voter portal and local radio, television and social media channels.

“We need to let first responders do their jobs, but once power is restored and polling locations can be located, we will ensure the upcoming election is safe and convenient for all Georgia voters,” he said.

Georgians will have three weeks of in-person early voting and Election Day options to cast their ballot. Any voter whose mail-in ballot was not accepted by the county elections office can still vote in person.

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