Jeb Bush Declares "Elections Emergency" because of Hurricane

• National Guard members may vote by fax machine
  
• Order allows the suspension of early voting in the 10 affected counties. 

National Guard members who vote in the 10 Florida counties ravaged by Hurricane Charley will be able to cast their ballots by fax machine under an "elections emergency" declared Thursday by Gov. Jeb Bush. Bush's order said that although no county reported damage to voting systems or ballots, the counties are "still in the process of assessing the availability of poll workers and the damage to any equipment and polling places for the conduct of the state primary on Aug. 31." His order also allows the suspension of early voting in the 10 affected counties. Early voting began Monday throughout the state and is under way in all of the affected counties except Charlotte. [more ]