Both candidates were forced to cancel several campaign stops when the superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast. (OBAMA: Jason Reed / Reuters / Landov ; ROMNEY: AP Photo / Charlie Neibergall)
Race to the Finish
Presidential candidates squeeze the last minutes out of their final day of campaigning
TOP: President Obama completely suspended campaigning last Monday and Tuesday to focus on the response to Hurricane Sandy. (Jason Reed / Reuters / Landov)
BOTTOM: Mitt Romney helped gather donated goods for victims affected by the storm. (Emmanuel Dunand / AFP / Getty Images)
Tomorrow, November 6, is Election Day. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and former Governor Mitt Romney, a Republican, are campaigning as hard as they can on the last day before voters make their choice.
The last week before Election Day is usually a fast-moving fury of campaign events. But in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, both candidates were forced to cancel several campaign stops as the storm pounded the East Coast.
President Obama completely suspended campaigning last Monday and Tuesday to lead the government’s storm preparation and response. Governor Romney started accepting food and supplies at his campaign rallies to send to the areas devastated by the storm.
In addition to dampening the candidates’ campaign schedules, superstorm Sandy may have thrown a wet blanket on voting in the hardest-hit states. Hundreds of thousands of people are still without power, and it will be difficult, if not impossible, to open regular voting sites in areas without electricity. The lack of power, shortage of gas for transportation, and other factors slowed early voting in states along the East Coast, and may even affect turnout on Election Day.
HINGING ON SWING STATES
There are seven swing states that will likely decide the outcome of the election—Colorado, Florida, Iowa, New Hampshire, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin. Both candidates had to cancel events in Virginia, Ohio, and New Hampshire, which were in the storm’s path. According to opinion polls, the race is extremely close in many of the swing states.
Both candidates are working as hard as possible to secure last-minute votes. Election night always has a few surprises, but the effects of Hurricane Sandy may create even more. To be sure, it’s shaping up to be a tight race to the finish.
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