The 2024 Election Emergency and Crisis Timeline presents an interactive presentation of 20 elections impacted by extreme weather in 2024. To navigate, the user scrolls along the chronological timeline to get an overview of the type of election, election date and type of extreme weather event for every story.;xNLx;Each story includes a short, curated text, extracted from the briefs available on the [Election Emergency and Crisis Monitor](https://www.idea.int/election-dashboard-election-emergency-and-crisis-monitor) (EECM). The extracts are shortened and simplified, as the "find out more" link in each story takes the user to the EECM which provides compressive information about the disaster and the impact on electoral processes. The stories also contain media either in the form of a video or an image. Each taken from various news agencies, providing further insight into extreme weather events.
From January 12 to 16, 2024, freezing temperatures and snowstorms swept across the United States, chilling Iowa to lows of –27°C. Republican candidates canceled events due to frostbite risks and severe travel conditions, yet supporters were encouraged to brave the cold for the in-person caucus. On caucus night, temperatures barely rose above –17°C.
In January 2024, after Tuvalu’s parliamentary elections, 16 newly elected members were to gather in the capital, Funafuti, to select the next Prime Minister. Severe weather, however, forced a two-week delay, as stormy seas prevented lawmakers from the outer islands from reaching the capital.
On February 14, 2024, Indonesia held the world’s largest single-day election, spanning 17,000 islands and three time zones. In Demak, ten villages delayed voting due to floodwaters reaching three meters, displacing election workers. In North Jakarta, a flooded warehouse damaged election materials, postponing voting by four days. As climate change intensifies, with El Niño events worsening, flood risks are expected to rise, potentially impacting 400,000 more Indonesians annually by 2030 according to Asian Development Bank.
On March 1, 2024, Iran held Parliamentary and Assembly of Experts elections under challenging conditions. Heavy rains, strong winds, and flash floods from February had left eastern provinces, especially Sistan and Baluchistan, struggling with severe flood damage. Despite these conditions, voting proceeded in affected areas, with vehicles, boats, and helicopters deployed to assist voter turnout. The decision to prioritize elections over flood relief sparked public outrage, as many questioned the focus on voting amidst ongoing rescue efforts.
From 26 February 2024 through 12 March 2024, a series of lethal wildfires broke out in Texas’s north-western counties in the Texas Panhandle. The 2024 presidential primary elections in Texas were scheduled for 05 March 2024, just a week after the Smokehouse Creek Fire ravaged counties in the Texas Panhandle. Due to the fires cutting off electricity, some polling places were out of power. Other polling locations had to temporarily close, likely due to the risk of nearby fires.
A deadly heatwave swept across India from March to June 2024, with temperatures soaring to 52.9°C in Delhi. Human-induced climate change made the events 30 times more likely according to World Weather Attribution. Despite record electricity usage, India’s grid maintained power, averting blackouts. The heat disrupted election campaigning, shifting activities to cooler hours, and contributed to voter turnout challenges. Tragically, dozens of poll workers and voters died from heatstroke, sparking dissatisfaction over safety measures. In response, the Electoral Commission introduced heat-specific regulations, including water, shade, medical kits, and mobile voting for vulnerable groups.
In March 2024, the Maldives began experiencing extreme heat, with temperatures reaching 33°C but feeling as high as 43°C. Despite the intense conditions, parliamentary elections proceeded on April 21, with voters lining up under umbrellas and hats to shield themselves from the sun. To accommodate the challenges posed by the heat, the Maldives Election Commission extended voting hours until 5:30 p.m. Still, turnout fell by 8% compared to previous elections, with 73.91% participation. The World Weather Attribution attributes the increased temperatures across South and South-East Asia to human induced climate change.
In the lead-up to Mexico’s 2 June elections, a record-breaking heatwave hit, with temperatures surpassing 50°C and intensifying drought across 85% of the country. Severe water shortages and blackouts affected 30 of 32 states, and long queues at polling stations led to heat-related illnesses like nausea, fainting, and headaches. One voter died after collapsing, prompting the Instituto Nacional Electoral to implement cooling measures to protect voters.
On 10 June 2024, several Austrian meteorological agencies issued severe weather warnings for southern districts, predicting heavy rains that flooded multiple areas and triggered mudslides, destroying several homes. The EU’s Copernicus program found that climate change has worsened impacts of altered rainfall patterns - increasing flash flood risks. Voters in Deutschfeistritz and the Hartberg-Fürstenfeld districts had difficulties reaching the polls as roads were flooded. Some polling stations were rendered inaccessible and had to be relocated by authorities.
The first major heatwave of the year in Romania took place on June 9, 2024, coinciding with the local and European Parliament elections with maximums between 35-37 degrees. Several people felt unwell at polling stations and needed medical assistance. Instances of fainting and dizziness were reported among mostly elders at five polling stations. Election officials were forced to work in extreme heat, sometimes without water, leading to fainting and rising frustrations.
Hurricane Debby made landfall near Steinhatchee, Florida, on the morning of August 5. Debby brought torrential rainfall that caused riverine and flash flooding across southeastern U.S. Over 300 000 customers were left without power across Florida to the Carolinas. Warmer surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico fueled the hurricane. On 5 August 2024, the first day of early voting in Florida, 7 out of 67 counties canceled voting operations following Debby.
Senate elections in the Czech Republic were held on 20 September 2024. Storm Boris had caused heavy rainfall across Central Europe in September. The rainfall in Czech city Jeseník reached 500 mm and over 200 rivers overflowed. 250 000 people were left without electricity, and about 10 000 were displaced. State officials and the Interior Ministry had to assist the voting processes by moving polling stations and relieving the local authorities, as they needed to prioritize recovery efforts. Overall turnout decreased since the previous senate election, at 30.82% and 17.5% in the first and second round respectively.
Austria held their general election on 19 September, as Storm Boris caused record rainfall across Central Europe. Rainfall in some areas of Lower Austria reached 400mm in 5 days. Dam failures and overflowed rivers led to almost 2 000 people placed in emergency shelters, some of which were flooded as well. The Chancellor announced that €1 billion would be given to the flood victims. Prioritizing emergency response, campaign events and debates were postponed, Chancellor Karl Nehammer called a "pause" in the electoral campaign.
Severe rainfall struck Bosnia and Herzegovina on 4 October, causing flash floods and landslides. The floods claimed 26 lives, including 19 in Jablanica, where roads and railways were swept away, leaving the town inaccessible. Severe summer droughts had worsened the flooding impact, with debris reaching rooftops in nearby villages. Elections were postponed in five municipalities due to damaged polling stations and relief efforts, affecting 63,180 voters. Rescheduled elections were held later in October, with Jablanica voting on 3 November.
On 24 March 2024, torrential rain over Maputo resulted in significant flooding in the district just 10 days after Hurricane Filipo, affecting 93,240 people, destroying 99 homes, and damaging 19 schools. Flooding disrupted the electric grid, creating electrocution risks and leaving 15,000 people without power. Electoral processes were heavily impacted as schools used for voter registration became shelters, and 96 registration posts in Maputo closed. Damaged roads in the Manica province limited electoral authorities' ability to deliver election materials. Authorities announced flexible measures to address these challenges, though concerns about voter registration credibility and terrorism persisted.
A powerful atmospheric river brought up to 300 mm of rain to southern British Columbia between 18-20 October 2024, causing widespread flooding, power outages, and two fatalities. The storm disrupted election day, with flooded roads and power failures closing three polling stations and temporarily pausing some. Manual voting was implemented in affected areas like Langley to ensure ballots could be processed once power returned. In Maple Ridge, voters were redirected to alternative locations, while Dease Lake residents used assisted-telephone voting due to inaccessible polling stations.
In June 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada experienced record-high temperatures due to a heatwave spanning across the Southwest United States. The hottest days in June in the Southwest region were 1.4C warmer than usual due to climate change according to the World Weather Attribution. 11 participants were hospitalized at presidential candidate Trump's rally in Phoenix, Arizona. In total, 97 people used cooling tents outside of the event, 24 people received medical care, 6 were rushed to the hospital and 11 were hospitalized after the event. Heat mitigation measures included increased EMS staff, more water bottles and cooling tents.
On the 4 and 5 November 2024, the state of Missouri saw 20 centimeters of rain, causing flash floods. 30 roads were closed and residents were advised to stay away from the Iron Mountain Lake due to a risk of the levee failing. Two poll workers died on election day as their vehicle was swept away by the floods. One polling station was closed, in Brookedale Farms.
Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, made landfall in Florida on 9 October 2024, bringing 160 kph winds, 41 cm of rain, and spawning 38 tornadoes, resulting in 21 fatalities and widespread destruction. Over 2 million homes lost power, with flooding rendering many roads impassable. Rapid intensification, fueled by record Gulf temperatures linked to climate change, highlighted the storm's severity. The hurricane prompted requests for extended voter registration and mail-in ballot flexibility. Advocacy groups criticized the response, while political figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, exchanged accusations over disaster management.
Category 4 Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on 26 September 2024, caused 232 deaths and extensive damage across six states. Flooding, power outages, and destroyed infrastructure disrupted early voting and access to polling stations. In Tennessee, flooded election offices and polling stations required relocating. North Carolina, where 17% of voters live in disaster areas, passed measures to ease absentee voting and waive voter ID requirements. Florida implemented flexible mail-in ballot policies and adjusted polling locations. South Carolina extended voter registration deadlines, while Georgia relocated polling sites. Campaigns were also impacted, with some events canceled and others politicizing the disaster.
In early November 2024, the Senegal and Gambia rivers overflowed their banks. The torrential rain that caused the flooding has been recognized as a result of climate change by UNICEF. The National Fire Brigade, Directorate of Civil Protection, and the electoral authority (DGE) collaborated to enfranchise displaced voters, secure voting infrastructure, and transport results on election day. Firefighters used boats to shuttle voters, staff, and observers to polling stations in affected areas. Local committees managed relocated stations, provided signs for instructions, and ensured voter communication. To enhance accessibility, the DGE upgraded its website and launched a WhatsApp group for candidate representatives.
North Sumatra, Indonesia, saw flash flooding and landslides in November 2024, during nationwide local elections. The floods and landslides caused at least 31 deaths and widespread destruction to infrastructure and homes. For the 27 November nationwide local elections, several polling stations in North Sumatra were rendered unusable, causing delays for 110 polling stations. Despite efforts like relocating polling stations and setting up temporary stages in flood-hit areas, voter turnout dropped significantly, with North Sumatra seeing only 40%, compared to 63% in 2018. The disasters and election fatigue were cited as key factors in the decrease.
Indonesia’s Mount Lewitobi Laki Laki volcano erupted several times between 3 and 7 November 2024, causing at least 10 deaths, 64 injuries, and directly affecting 10, 000. The simultaneous local elections on 27 November saw 13, 000 voters and 37 polling stations affected by the eruptions, leading to the General Election Commission deciding to move those stations affected into evacuation shelters. Due to the lack of accessibility following the eruptions, at least 600 people in shelters could not exercise their right to vote.
Ahead of Iceland’s 2024 snap parliamentary election on 30 November, the weather forecast indicated heavy blizzard conditions for the eastern part of the island. The National Electoral Commission and the Icelandic Met Office were in close contact to ensure contingency plans and the possibility of postponing the vote in the case of severe weather. Despite the snow, voting in Iceland proceeded smoothly, as snow-clearing efforts ensured access to polling stations. The blizzard delayed transporting results from eastern regions, requiring a Coast Guard helicopter and rescue teams to assist. Heavy snowfall also caused delays in tallying results in affected areas.
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