State Election Laws: Overview of Statutes Regarding Emergency Election Postponement Within the State

Publication Date: September 2004

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Politics

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Abstract:

Federal law establishes the date of the general presidential election as the Tuesday following the first Monday in November every four years. However, due to the possibility of an emergency or disaster, including the threat of a terrorist attack, occurring immediately before or during a scheduled election, some states have enacted statutes providing for the temporary postponement of elections in their respective states, precincts, districts, or counties. This Report summarizes seven state statutes that provide a mechanism for the postponement of certain elections. In the event of emergencies or disasters, it appears that these laws might provide for the postponement of the general presidential election within the state. The following state statutes are summarized: Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, and North Carolina. In addition, examples of state statutes that grant the governor the power to suspend certain state laws during an emergency are included. Although these statutes do not mention elections, they might be relied on to support the state's delay of the general presidential election in an emergency.