Midterm Elections

Florida Tweaks Voting Rules In Counties Affected By Hurricane Michael

A new executive order will extend early voting deadlines for Floridians in eight counties.

Florida Tweaks Voting Rules In Counties Affected By Hurricane Michael
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Florida will relax some of its voting rules for residents of the counties hit hardest by Hurricane Michael. 

The office of Florida Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order Thursday that will extend early voting deadlines for people in eight counties in Florida's Panhandle. Early voting in Florida usually ends the weekend before elections, but the order will extend it through the Nov. 6 election. 

It also allows voters in those counties to request ballots be mailed to them at addresses different from their addresses in the Florida Voter Registration System. 

Florida's Secretary of State said in a press release these changes were based on feedback from the locally-elected supervisors of elections, as many in these counties are still dealing with the devastation left by Hurricane Michael. Hurricane Michael was a category 4 storm when it hit Florida last week, making it the strongest hurricane to hit the U.S. in almost 50 years.

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN.