Akinlabi Emmanuel
A strong cold front is sweeping across several key battleground states on Election Day, bringing intense rainfall and severe storms that could impact voter turnout.
Eastern Texas up through the Missouri-Illinois border, including St. Louis, is experiencing heavy, slow-moving storms, with flash flood warnings in effect after reports of 3-8 inches of rain overnight.
As the cold front advances eastward, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and southern states like Louisiana are bracing for showers. Wisconsin, in particular, faces the worst conditions among the battleground states, with a level 1 severe storm threat issued by the Storm Prediction Center. Thunderstorms there could produce wind gusts over 60 mph, with the possibility of a brief tornado.
Today’s heaviest rainfall is expected to impact areas from east Texas to southern Indiana, potentially making it challenging for early-morning voters to reach polling stations. Historical data suggests that rainfall may reduce voter turnout slightly, potentially affecting participation in these critical states.
