A report by International IDEA found that at least 94 elections and referendums were disrupted between 2006 and 2025 due to floods, fires, heat waves and storms.
The climate crisis is no longer just an environmental, health or economic threat. A new report by International IDEA, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, suggests that it is also becoming a growing threat to the conduct of fair elections. According to the report, published on April 22, 2026, natural disasters and extreme events disrupted at least 94 elections and referendums in 52 countries between 2006 and 2025. The events included floods, fires, heat waves, storms, hurricanes and even earthquakes, affecting millions of voters. (idea.int)
The report, Managing Natural Hazards and Climate Risks in Elections, highlights that elections are one of the cornerstones of democracy, but like other public services, they are vulnerable to physical events in the natural world. As the climate crisis worsens, some extreme events are becoming more frequent and severe, and therefore the need to protect the voting process from disruption is growing. According to International IDEA, the report is based on a database of more than 100 election crisis cases between 2006 and 2025, as well as 13 detailed case studies from six continents.
Power outages and displacement of voters from their homes
The year 2024, dubbed the “super year” of elections around the world, illustrated the scale of the risk. According to a report in the Global Government Forum, that year, 23 elections were disrupted at various levels in 18 countries, including Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, the United States and Canada. The disruptions included power outages, damage to infrastructure, displacement of voters from their homes and last-minute changes to voting schedules. (globalgovernmentforum.com)
The problem is not limited to poor countries or weak systems of government. The report highlights that even wealthy, established democracies are vulnerable to disruptions from floods, fires and heat waves. According to the Global Government Forum, even countries with stable institutions have experienced disruptions to electoral schedules and procedures as a result of natural disasters. This means that preparing for climate events is not just a technical matter, but part of the ability to maintain public trust in the democratic process.
The report claims that in extreme cases, the magnitude of the disaster was too great for electoral authorities to cope with by normal means. According to a statement by King's College London on the report, at least 26 elections and referendums have been fully or partially postponed in the past decade due to natural disasters. Such events can affect access to polling stations, equality among voters, the ability of candidates to campaign, and the counting of votes. (Eurek Alert!)
Heat waves make it difficult to queue to vote
Researchers warn of a situation in which elections are affected not only by political struggles, but also by unpredictable physical conditions. Flooding of polling stations, blocked roads, damage to the power grid, fires that force the evacuation of communities, or a heat wave that makes it difficult to wait in line to vote, can all change the turnout and the ability of citizens to exercise their right. A report in the Guardian noted, for example, that heat waves have already affected at least ten elections since 2022, and in the Philippines, vote-counting machines malfunctioned due to overheating. (Guardian)
The solution proposed by International IDEA is to move from late response to early planning. The report calls on election authorities to integrate disaster risk management into their ongoing work, rather than relying solely on last-minute emergency procedures. Among the recommended steps: preparing contingency plans, regular coordination with emergency and meteorological authorities, training polling station staff to deal with emergencies, and reconsidering election dates in areas where there are expected seasonal risks. (idea.int)
The report’s central message is that protecting democracy in the era of the climate crisis requires expanding the definition of election security. In addition to dealing with cyberattacks, disinformation, political violence, and attempts at foreign influence, election authorities will also need to prepare for floods, fires, heat waves, and storms. Free and fair elections depend not only on laws and ballot boxes, but also on voters being able to get to them safely.
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