Rains risk dampening turnout in East Coast, Midwest

An expansive stormfront is looming over Election Day in several key states along the East Coast and in parts of the Midwest, threatening to batter voters with heavy wind and rain as they head to the polls on Tuesday.

Weather forecast models from the National Weather Service show the front bringing heavy rains to states ranging from Georgia to West Virginia to Wisconsin. Rain is also possible in Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota.

{mosads}The weather is unwelcome news to Democrats in a number of closely watched races who are hoping that high turnout will help them secure victories.

Higher turnout in midterm elections is generally seen as favorable to Democrats.

In Georgia, voters are expected to be drenched by rain throughout the day as they go to the polls to cast their ballots in the state’s closely watched gubernatorial race between Democrat Stacey Abrams and Republican Brian Kemp.

Likewise, voters in Virginia will see some nasty weather as voting kicks off in several competitive House races, including the heated fight between Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.) and Democrat Abigail Spanberger to represent the state’s 7th District.

Storm systems aren’t expected to impact most of the Plains, as well as states in the West and the Sunbelt. But weather forecast models show the potential for snow in parts of the Northern Rockies, raising the possibility of slippery roads that could create an obstacle for voters to the polls.

Whether the storm system will significant impact voter turnout on Tuesday remains to be seen. Roughly 35 million people have already cast their ballots in the 2018 midterm elections, saving those voters a trip to their precincts on Election Day.

What’s more, voter enthusiasm is high this year, meaning fewer people may be deterred by bad weather.

Democrats are gunning to flip at least 23 Republican-held House seats on Tuesday in their bid to recapture a majority in the House. They’re counting, at least in part, on high voter on Election Day to push them over the threshold.

Democrats face a difficult path to a Senate majority. They’re defending more than two dozen seats in the chamber, including 10 in states that President Trump won in 2016. Republicans have grown increasingly confident that they’ll not only be able to hold their current 51-49 majority, but expand it.

Meanwhile, a number of close gubernatorial races are on the map, including the battle between Abrams and Kemp in Georgia and a nationally watched contest in Florida between Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum (D) and former Republican Rep. Ron DeSantis.