# Could Hurricane Sandy actually sway the election? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 25, 2012, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867 "2012-10-25T20:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/21 "2012-10-27T01:50:04Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > The hurricane is [supposed to hit](http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57540360/hurricane-sandy-may-slam-into-u.s-east-coast-as-halloween-week-frankenstorm/)around Halloween (centered around NYC), so I think it’s unlikely that it will have a big affect unless it causes massive damage. Given my past electrical outages and the fact that repair crews from outside Long Island will probably be busy in their own areas (widespread outages predicted) and not available to Long Island as they were last year, I’m thinking I may have power back by election day or maybe the day before. (4.5 days last year for what was billed a tropical storm. 5.5 days in 1985 for Gloria, 4 days in 1992 for the Nor’Easter.) I’m guessing six to seven days this time since the usual Niagara Mohawk crews won’t be available. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/22 "2012-10-27T02:35:59Z")
Actually, power companies have already cancelled vacations and are pre-positioning crews to respond to any outages. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/23 "2012-10-27T02:51:48Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#): > > Or a terrorist attack in New York? If I recall, September 11, 2001 was some sort of election day in NYC. A number of WTC workers were spared simply because they stopped to cast their vote before going into work. Apparently, there were no “accommodations” for this fact. So… it would have to be one _hell_ of a massive event to derail an election. Bigger than destroying 16 acres in Manhattan and knocking down a few skyscrapers based upon past events. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/24 "2012-10-27T03:05:14Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Good point brought up elsewhere: rural areas, which tend to skew conservative, could be pretty heavily hit themselves, being rural and all with the wide open spaces and not quite as maintained infrastructure, and thus suppress votes THERE. So it’s really not certain which side, if either, would be hurt more by this. Fancy electronic voting machines tend to populate urban and suburban areas, whereas rural areas tend to be a little more paper-ballot-luddite, so power outages will typically have less of an effect on them. And them farmers, you know, they are used to slogging through the muck to get stuff done. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/25 "2012-10-27T04:08:06Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > If I recall, September 11, 2001 was some sort of election day in NYC. A number of WTC workers were spared simply because they stopped to cast their vote before going into work. Apparently, there were no “accommodations” for this fact. > > So… it would have to be one _hell_ of a massive event to derail an election. Bigger than destroying 16 acres in Manhattan and knocking down a few skyscrapers based upon past events. Except that on 9/11, the primary was [called off by 11 AM.](http://www.ny1.com/content/special_reports/world_trade_center/168783/sept--11-attacks-changed-2001-mayor-s-race) That’s a pretty major “accomodation”. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/26 "2012-10-27T04:16:28Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > If I recall, September 11, 2001 was some sort of election day in NYC. A number of WTC workers were spared simply because they stopped to cast their vote before going into work. Apparently, there were no “accommodations” for this fact. The election was canceled and held again two weeks later. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/27 "2012-10-27T06:06:30Z")
How prepared are we and how will the administration be judged? ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/28 "2012-10-27T08:09:40Z")
> [@For You](#): > > whereas rural areas tend to be a little more paper-ballot-luddite, so power outages will typically have less of an effect on them. And them farmers, you know, they are used to slogging through the muck to get stuff done. I have to say. If you’re in a small county with only a few thousand ballots to count, it isn’t cost effective for the county to spend the money to buy and maintain voting machines (they’re not exactly free). It isn’t a matter of being a luddite, it’s a simple ROI calculation. And, yes, farmers do not have the luxury of sitting around in the house waiting for sunny weather. Mother Nature continues to operate rain or shine, so farmers have to be able to dig themselves out (instead of waiting for someone else to do it for them) and get their work done no matter how deep the snow or water. ANOTHER ARTICLE that contains **descriptions of what NE PA and NY are doing as pre-emptive measures** for the storm: [http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/frankenstorm-headed-to-nepa-1.1394794](http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/frankenstorm-headed-to-nepa-1.1394794) As an example, some dams are releasing water now to lower the levels so they can better control flooding during the course of the storm. The article states that if they get the predicted 6 inches… that will be beyond their flood management resources. In other places I’ve read that the Red Cross is prepared and most electric companies are staging crews over the weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2012, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/29 "2012-10-27T08:17:26Z")
The Red Cross has created a Hurricane Tracking App that you can download. They also have preparation ideas at this link: [News & Events | Disaster Relief News | American Red Cross](http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Red-Cross-Urges-Central-Pennsylvania-to-Prepare-Now-for-Hurricane-Sandy) ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/30 "2012-10-28T03:39:28Z")
It occurred to me today that after pooh-poohing the influence of Sandy on the election, it could actually have a profound effect. Not due to disrupting the act of voting, but by hogging the airtime for three or four days. Polling has settled down in the last few days, and it is clear that President Obama has a small but solid lead in the swing states. With no more debates, Romney needs the attention of the media to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but he’s going to lose at least three full days of attention due to Sandy. Because it will have a significant effect in both Washington, D.C. and New York City, the centers of news and politics, the number one story nationally will be Sandy, not the election. All of the morning shows have as a backdrop big windows showing the streets of NYC, and they will show high winds and torrential rain. This storm is stealing at least 30% of the remaining news cycles from Romney, right at the time he needs them most. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/31 "2012-10-28T03:45:34Z")
Another possible impact: If bad weather decreases Election Day turnout, it’ll increase the relative importance of the early voting, which has been significantly favoring Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/32 "2012-10-28T09:51:49Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > Romney needs the attention of the media to pull a rabbit out of a hat, but he’s going to lose at least three full days of attention due to Sandy. Don’t put it past Romney to pull a Geraldo-esque stunt, rushing into swamped areas to proclaim that Obama isn’t doing enough stuff quick enough. Intrade should open up betting on if Romney ends up on TV in hip waders before Nov 6th. (Remember Palin driving through a tornado to stomp on Romney’s campaign announcement?) ON ANOTHER NOTE: [Weather.com](http://Weather.com) interactive “live” tracking site: [http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/tracker/2012/sandy](http://www.weather.com/weather/hurricanecentral/tracker/2012/sandy) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/33 "2012-10-28T17:29:49Z")
FWIW, [Obama is canceling some campaign appearances so he can monitor Sandy’s landfall.](http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-campaign-hurricane-sandy-20121028,0,6145451.story) Either he’s simply doing what he should, or he’s keenly aware of how badly it would play if the hurricane did unexpectedly serious damage while Obama was on a podium in Colorado or somewhere. Or both. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/34 "2012-10-28T20:59:53Z")
Both Obama and Romney have canceled appearances in the path of the storm. After all, people are a bit busy with preparations. Obama is supposed to be in Youngstown OH tomorrow instead of VA. Not sure where Romney is supposed to be. He might be getting fitted for hip waders so he can pop in on flooded areas for a video shoot to complain about how much the government sucks. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/35 "2012-10-28T21:56:47Z")
Any chance that common sense will prevail and East coast voting gets delayed? We all know areas dealing with massive storm damage won’t be very interested in voting six days later. Survival, food, drinkable water, and power are what storm victims care about. These people care more about taking a real shower & a hot meal than trudging down to a voting station. Couldn’t the affected storm areas vote a week later? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/36 "2012-10-28T22:13:13Z")
My new brother-in-law lost a groomsman to Coast Guard duty. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/37 "2012-10-28T23:08:17Z")
I’ve seen claims that Republicans (no more detail than this; it might just be some bloggers - it certainly wouldn’t be anyone of importance) say that the hurricane will give Romney Pennsylvania by shutting down the eastern portion of the state, which apparently trends Democratic. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/38 "2012-10-28T23:13:48Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > FWIW, [Obama is canceling some campaign appearances so he can monitor Sandy’s landfall.](http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-obama-campaign-hurricane-sandy-20121028,0,6145451.story) Either he’s simply doing what he should, or he’s keenly aware of how badly it would play if the hurricane did unexpectedly serious damage while Obama was on a podium in Colorado or somewhere. Or both. And, quite predictably, Fox “news” is trying to tie the hurricane to Libya. > [@](#): > > Obama cancels campaign stops to monitor Sandy, but critics say he should’ve had same response to Libya This is beyond pathetic. Obama does something good, and the only way they can report it is “Ya, well he should have done the same good thing for some other unrelated event in the past”. They’re turning into The Onion. ---
**Author:** ![Enkel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/df705f/32.png) [@Enkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enkel)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/39 "2012-10-28T23:35:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Any chance that common sense will prevail and East coast voting gets delayed? OMG… could you imagine the uproar? They would all be out in boats, big yellow ‘don’t tread on me’ sails lashed at the front, waving pitch forks and torches! I’m sure that FoxNews will be providing “advice for if they dare try to delay voting” articles shortly all with lots of links to the ‘don’t tread on me’ sails in sizes for anything from a canoe to a flat bottom house boat. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2012, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867/40 "2012-10-28T23:40:17Z")
What’s the over/under on the day and time when Romney first stands smirking in front of cameras berating Obama for something to do with this storm? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-hurricane-sandy-actually-sway-the-election/638867.md?page=3)