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Could a Hurricane Like Sandy Postpone the Presidential Election? By Andrew Cohen
The Atlantic ^ | Oct 29 2012 | Andrew Cohen

Posted on 10/29/2012 4:52:44 PM PDT by mdittmar

Yes: Congress would lead the way in rescheduling it, but the states would have to sign on. And, no, there's no plan yet on the public books.

wetobamaban.jpg

Jason Reed/Reuters

No matter how bad Hurricane Sandy turns out to be, it could have been a lot worse: It could have struck one week later than it did, swamping the 2012 presidential election in its low-pressure trough. As hard as it will be for officials to recover from the storm in time for next week's vote, and as frustrated as many early voters will be this week amid the flood waters, just imagine how many citizens would have been deprived of their ability to vote if the hurricane had blown through the East Coast on November 5 or 6. No trains. No buses. No roads. No electricity. No polling stations. No poll watchers. No voting for tens of millions of Americans.

We got lucky, in other words, at least as far as the election is concerned -- an election remarkably void, it must be said, of any meaningful dialogue about the effects of global warming on America's climate. The timing of Hurricane Sandy is indeed a reminder that there are things in this world far more powerful than our presidential campaigns and stump-speech timetables. It's a reminder that also raises an important question many storm watchers might reasonably be asking themselves as the rain and wind pounds down on them. Could America ever delay a presidential election due to a natural event or other catastrophe?

The short answer is yes.

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


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bho2012; hurricanesandy
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The meme begins;)
1 posted on 10/29/2012 4:52:45 PM PDT by mdittmar
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Comment #2 Removed by Moderator

To: mdittmar

The short answer is NO!

They can talk about it, they can pass laws. They might even get the states to go along with it.

However the Constitution does not say the first Tuesday of November “weather permitting”

It also does not say “early voting is allowed” but that’s a whole nother can of worms.


3 posted on 10/29/2012 4:55:23 PM PDT by cableguymn (The founding fathers would be shooting by now..)
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To: mdittmar

Sandy is heading in via Joisey...Chris Christie will either chase the storm back out to sea (yes, he has the girth to do that) or arrange for every citizen’s vote to be counted manually.


4 posted on 10/29/2012 4:55:55 PM PDT by RoosterRedux (Obama: "If you've got a business -- you didn't build that. Somebody else made that happen.")
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To: mdittmar

A category I hurricane postponing an election? That’s something even a world war and a civil war couldn’t do.


5 posted on 10/29/2012 4:56:32 PM PDT by Fiji Hill (Deo Vindice!)
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To: mdittmar

If this Hurricane was hitting Texas, Mississippi and Alabama—all red states- would their be any discussion about postponing the election? Probably not.


6 posted on 10/29/2012 4:56:34 PM PDT by Le Chien Rouge
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To: mdittmar
Could America ever delay a presidential election due to a natural event or other catastrophe?

Hey Andy, you wish.

7 posted on 10/29/2012 4:57:57 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: mdittmar

If Obama announces temporary emergency funds for 50 million Americans in the path of the storm, would he not get easily re-elected?


8 posted on 10/29/2012 4:58:31 PM PDT by GeronL (http://asspos.blogspot.com)
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To: cableguymn
However the Constitution does not say the first Tuesday of November “weather permitting”

The Constitution does not say when any election is to take place.

9 posted on 10/29/2012 4:59:57 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: GeronL
If Obama announces temporary emergency funds for 50 million Americans in the path of the storm, would he not get easily re-elected?

No, because Sandy is mostly hitting Blue States and those voting for Romney would not be so easily swayed.

10 posted on 10/29/2012 5:01:56 PM PDT by Repeal 16-17 (Let me know when the Shooting starts.)
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To: cableguymn
I agree with you on the travesty of early voting. The election is supposed to be a "snapshot" in time - not a dragged out process, subject to manipulation and fraud. I do think that our military should be able to vote by absentee ballot and perhaps businessmen who will be away on business trips. Other than that, everybody should show up on the one day.

If one can't get to the polling place on Election Day, tough luck. I missed out on voting one year because I was working at the airport and had to stay past my regular shift due to flight delays. But I didn't go around saying I was disenfranchised. Those are the breaks. I should have voted before going to work that day.

11 posted on 10/29/2012 5:02:57 PM PDT by SamAdams76
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To: mdittmar

> Could a Hurricane Like Sandy Postpone the Presidential Election?

Probably if it looks like the dictator is going to lose.


12 posted on 10/29/2012 5:03:03 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: mdittmar

Obama’s voters can’t vote - its all Sandy’s fault!

So the MSM seriously considers canceling the election. Look how far we have come!

These people live in another universe altogether. Acts Of God, its all political theater to them.

Another pretext for depriving us of our freedoms. That’s who the Left is - these people are in serious need of mental help!


13 posted on 10/29/2012 5:03:44 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved FrieGrnd Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: mdittmar

Life’s tough.

Why not post pone the electoral college balloting?

Or, change the date of transition from January 20th to whenever the Cherry Blossoms bloom?

This is going to be a huge disaster, epic in fact but, life goes on apace.


14 posted on 10/29/2012 5:04:43 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: Fiji Hill

in 1888 the year my grandmother was born there was a really bad snow storm through out the midwest (she was born in October) travel was not as easy then and NO ONE talked ever about the idea of postponing the election


15 posted on 10/29/2012 5:07:29 PM PDT by Nifster
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To: Vendome

I mean hey - if the Messiah and his scribblers can’t take a little ol’ hurricane in stride, what they can take?

What a bunch of wimps!


16 posted on 10/29/2012 5:07:36 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved FrieGrnd Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Repeal 16-17; cableguymn; mdittmar; All

Actually:

 

Article II

Section 1. The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America. He shall hold his Office during the Term of four Years, and, together with the Vice President, chosen for the same Term, be elected, as follows
Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, equal to the whole Number of Senators and Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress: but no Senator or Representative, or Person holding an Office of Trust or Profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.


The Congress may determine the Time of choosing the Electors, and the Day on which they shall give their Votes; which Day shall be the same throughout the United States.

 

Chapter 1.  Presidential Elections and Vacancies

Return to 3 USC Ch. 1, Table of Contents

Time of appointing electors

§ 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.

Failure to make choice on prescribed day

§ 2. Whenever any State has held an election for the purpose of choosing electors, and has failed to make a choice on the day prescribed by law, the electors may be appointed on a subsequent day in such a manner as the legislature of such State may direct.

 

A uniform date for choosing presidential electors was instituted by the Congress in 1845

In 1845, the United States was largely an agrarian society. Farmers often needed a full day to travel by horse drawn vehicles to the county seat to vote. Tuesday was established as election day because it did not interfere with the Biblical Sabbath or with market day, which was on Wednesday in many towns.


17 posted on 10/29/2012 5:17:23 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: Repeal 16-17; cableguymn

“The Constitution does not say when any election is to take place.”

Yup it is in the US Code, not the Constitution.


18 posted on 10/29/2012 5:20:18 PM PDT by DBrow
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To: Vendome

There is no logical reason we need to hold an election in November. We can hold it in December.

Then again, this is the most stupid thing I ever heard of in my life. Arrangements can be made for those affected by Sandy.

But it doesn’t require canceling a national election. The MSM is coming up with this meme because they dread an Obama loss and want to undo it.

Good luck with it!


19 posted on 10/29/2012 5:21:45 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved FrieGrnd Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: mdittmar

Since Sandy is no longer classified as a hurricane, moot point? lol


20 posted on 10/29/2012 5:27:19 PM PDT by CatOwner
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