Hurricanes Test FEMA, Our Elections

With less than four weeks until the 2024 election, one that could be the closest presidential election in the nation’s history, there are worries that voters in the Southeast impacted by Hurricane Helene may not be able to cast their ballots. In western North Carolina, polling places have been damaged and, in some cases, destroyed, which raises the question: Where will voters vote on Election Day? Executive Director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections Karen Brinson Bell joins the Rundown to discuss how North Carolina is planning to get all voters to the polls, how their state election laws prepared them for this type of situation, and what can be expected on election night in the state.

Hurricane Milton is closing in on Florida less than two weeks after Helene devastated much of the state. While President Joe Biden prepares its federal response for the coming storm, the administration faces criticism over its response to Helene. Brock Long, the former Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, joins the Rundown to weigh in on FEMA’s response to Helene and whether the agency is stretched too thin to handle the expected impact from Milton.

Plus, commentary by columnist David Marcus.

Photo Credit: AP