Wildfire and elections in California

This case study seeks to establish how electoral officials grappled with the challenges posed by fires, and what lessons can be drawn from their experience. California’s wildfires are an example of a long-term and migrating hazard rather than a single hit in a given location. The analysis assesses whether the responses from election officials changed in any way over the two-year period, by time and location.

In this chapter, the Californian wildfires occurring from September 2015 to November 2018 are examined to assess their effect on two electoral cycles in the state (2016 and 2018), and to study how electoral practitioners cope with these challenges in a developed democratic setting.