Louisiana’s fall 2021 elections are being pushed back by five weeks thanks to Hurricane Ida, which wreaked havoc across the state late last month.
Kyle Ardoin, the secretary of state of Louisiana, announced the delay on Wednesday, saying in a press release that Gov. John Bel Edwards agreed with the recommendation. The election planned for Oct. 9 will now be held on Nov. 13, and a runoff scheduled for Nov. 13, if it is needed, has been rescheduled for Dec. 11.
Ardoin’s statement mentioned that the decision was made “in light of the devastation brought on by Hurricane Ida,” which led to the displacement of many residents and the loss of power for more than a million Louisiana customers. Power restoration efforts are still underway for hundreds of thousands of clients 10 days after landfall.
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“I am thankful that the governor has recognized the importance of our recommendation to move the October 9 election to November 13 and the November 13 election to December 11,” Ardoin said. “This will allow our staff and local partners more time to properly prepare for a statewide election while ensuring the integrity of our election processes and that our voters’ traditional voting habits are as undisturbed as possible.”
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The death toll in Louisiana associated with Ida, which made landfall over the state as a Category 4 major hurricane, stands at 12, according to Reuters.
President Joe Biden visited the state on Sept. 3 to survey the damage caused by the storm.
