Voters in the Bay Area are navigating rain as they head to the polls, which studies show could impact voter turnout.
Research has found that there is an association between rainfall and lower voter turnout. According to a 2023 study, Election Day rain has been shown to reduce turnout by almost 1% for every centimeter of rain. It’s especially likely to affect people who may already be less likely to vote.
Amber Liggett Torres, a meteorologist who wrote about this for the American Meteorological Society, told KALW that transportation slowdowns due to rain, for example, can create a challenge.
“Unfortunately, it's not like the polls are going to open later or stay open later, so there could be an impact there with people more in a crunch of time if they're not planning accordingly or if they're not able to leave work or their other duties earlier to get there,” Liggett Torres said.
To make voting easier on a rainy day, Liggett Torres recommends planning your transportation in advance, and coordinating with others who can help you get to the polls.
