# Could there be a reason to either cancel or postpone the US elections?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [May 12, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848 "2015-05-12T11:44:31Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/1 "2015-05-12T11:44:31Z")
Let’s say its November 1rst 2015, and right before the US fall elections the president comes online and announces that he is using presidential authority to postpone the elections.
Could it happen?
Could there be say a natural disaster or a time of mass civil unrest that could cause this?
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### Author:  [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/2 "2015-05-12T11:47:06Z")
We could be invaded by Cubans or North Koreans. Millions of em, all over the country, Red Dawn style. Or there could be a nuclear war.
Short of that, no. Especially not in November 2015.
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### Author:  [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/3 "2015-05-12T11:51:26Z")
Nope. Not a chance.
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### Author:  [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/4 "2015-05-12T12:05:56Z")
Perhaps a major news event like a story about Kim Kardashian could cause a delay.
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### Author:  [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/5 "2015-05-12T12:13:35Z")
This came up in 2004 when everyone was still fearing a 9/11 style attack. [Congress has the powers to delay an election, not the president](https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/RL32471.pdf). Congress does have the power to delegate such authority to the executive branch which, given the current congress, is somewhat of a theoretical consideration.
In [the entire history of the United States](http://www.myheritage.org/news/can-president-obama-postpone-the-election-because-of-hurricane-sandy/), the election has never been postponed, including during the war of 1812 and the civil war. So something pretty big would have to happen to break precedent.
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/6 "2015-05-12T12:26:37Z")
I remember the nuttersphere “anticipating” a cancelled or postponed presidential election every four years as far back as the Clinton administrations. There may have been earlier examples but I was not as exposed to political whackadoodles before the 90s.
The real answer is that yes, an election could theoretically be cancelled or postponed but it has never happened and the precedent is set for it never t happen.
(Isn’t a national standard date for elections a fairly new development? If I recall my Civil War history, the 1864 congressional elections were spread from about July to November, with the Presidential election being in November. Unless the OP meant 2016.)
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### Author:  [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/7 "2015-05-12T12:39:01Z")
Various [crackpots](http://www.commondreams.org/views/2007/07/31/will-bush-cancel-2008-election) and [nutjobs](http://www.democracynow.org/2004/7/12/could_bush_cancel_the_election) fulminate about it periodically, but it hasn’t happened and isn’t going to.
Regards,
Shodan
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### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/8 "2015-05-12T13:00:26Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#):
>
> Let’s say its November 1rst 2015, and right before the US fall elections the president comes online and announces that he is using presidential authority to postpone the elections.
Psst. The presidential election is in 2016.
BTW, we managed to have elections in 1940 and 1944 during World War II. If we could deal with that and have an election, I think we could cope today.
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### Author:  [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/9 "2015-05-12T17:52:43Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#):
>
> Psst. The presidential election is in 2016.
>
> BTW, we managed to have elections in 1940 and 1944 during World War II. If we could deal with that and have an election, I think we could cope today.
Even better, we managed to have an election in 1864 during the Civil War!
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### Author:  [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/10 "2015-05-12T18:20:37Z")
We’d pretty much have to have Canada invading from the north, Mexico from the south. And alien motherships holding station over New York, Dallas, San Fran, and the White House.
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### Author:  [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/11 "2015-05-12T18:26:28Z")
I think nuclear war would do it.
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### Author:  [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/12 "2015-05-12T19:07:52Z")
Extraterrestrial invasion or publicly/“officially” acknowledged visitation?
But if it didn’t delay or postpone an election cycle, it’s fun to speculate about how potential candidates would work the event into their stump speeches.
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/13 "2015-05-12T19:22:42Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#):
>
> I remember the nuttersphere “anticipating” a cancelled or postponed presidential election every four years as far back as the Clinton administrations. There may have been earlier examples but I was not as exposed to political whackadoodles before the 90s.
I’m sure it goes all the way back but there was no internet for them to find each other. I predict seeing a lot of “Obummer will declare martial law” stories on Facebook in the coming months. I also predict getting tired of reminding people a different group of loonies were saying the same thing about Bush.
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### Author:  [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/14 "2015-05-12T19:30:19Z")
If the infamous Yellowstone volcano blows up (and lives up to its reported potential), I think that might get people to talk about postponing the election.
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### Author:  [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/15 "2015-05-12T19:46:49Z")
What about a major disaster? Let’s say that 2 days before the 2016 elections, a huge earthquake hits Los Angeles. It’s the Big One everyone has been waiting for. Magnitude 8.9. Large swaths of the city are reduced to rubble; thousands are dead, millions displaced from their homes.
How could they hold an election under those circumstances? Even finding the polling workers in time would be a tall order. Would they have to say, “You guys can vote for your representative when you get things togther, and sorry about the presidential election, guys. Maybe next time”?
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### Author:  [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/16 "2015-05-12T19:57:39Z")
> [@Diceman](#):
>
> What about a major disaster? Let’s say that 2 days before the 2016 elections, a huge earthquake hits Los Angeles. It’s the Big One everyone has been waiting for. Magnitude 8.9. Large swaths of the city are reduced to rubble; thousands are dead, millions displaced from their homes.
>
> How could they hold an election under those circumstances? Even finding the polling workers in time would be a tall order. Would they have to say, “You guys can vote for your representative when you get things togther, and sorry about the presidential election, guys. Maybe next time”?
The country will hold the election; California will delay theirs. But since California holds 55 electoral votes that could sway the presidential electoral vote outcome, you can be sure the incumbent, outgoing president will offer massive federal assistance to earn Brownie points for his party’s candidate.
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/17 "2015-05-12T20:00:36Z")
> [@Diceman](#):
>
> What about a major disaster? Let’s say that 2 days before the 2016 elections, a huge earthquake hits Los Angeles. It’s the Big One everyone has been waiting for. Magnitude 8.9. Large swaths of the city are reduced to rubble; thousands are dead, millions displaced from their homes.
>
> How could they hold an election under those circumstances? Even finding the polling workers in time would be a tall order. Would they have to say, “You guys can vote for your representative when you get things togther, and sorry about the presidential election, guys. Maybe next time”?
California can choose to appoint its Electors in a manner other than by popular vote if necessary.
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### Author:  [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/18 "2015-05-12T20:00:42Z")
Thanks for the feedback. I know someone who’s insisting this will happen this year. You all have given me some information to give her.
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### Author:  [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/19 "2015-05-12T20:02:49Z")
> [@Duckster](#):
>
> The country will hold the election; California will delay theirs. But since California holds 55 electoral votes that could sway the presidential electoral vote outcome, you can be sure the incumbent, outgoing president will offer massive federal assistance to earn Brownie points for his party’s candidate.
I don’t think California can delay their appointment of Electors without an Act of Congress.
3 U.S.C. § 1
> [@](#):
>
> The electors of President and Vice President shall be appointed, in each State, on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in November, in every fourth year succeeding every election of a President and Vice President.
I will note that non-presidential/congressional elections are entirely at the whim of the states. People often forget that Sept 11, 2001 was a primary day in New York. It was cancelled by the state government and held a few weeks later.
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### Author:  [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)
#### Post date: [May 12, 2015, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-there-be-a-reason-to-either-cancel-or-postpone-the-us-elections/719848/20 "2015-05-12T20:06:07Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> I’m sure it goes all the way back but there was no internet for them to find each other. I predict seeing a lot of “Obummer will declare martial law” stories on Facebook in the coming months. I also predict getting tired of reminding people a different group of loonies were saying the same thing about Bush.
The Right Wing Nutcases are already on to that. The Jade Helm 15 military exercise is _really_ a rehearsal of for the Martial Law that Obama will impose when he cancels the election & comes for our guns.
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