Chapter 7 › XIII.X–XIV Elections and Polling; Damage Caused During Performance of Emergency Work

Is election support eligible, and what if our crews damaged property during the response?

FEMA term

Elections and polling activities; damage caused during performance of emergency work

Short answer

Election-related work is eligible when the disaster damages polling facilities or voting equipment. Repairing public property, supplies or equipment damaged during eligible emergency work is eligible when the damage was caused by severe conditions, unavoidable, and not from misuse.

What FEMA requires

Repairs are added to the Category A or B project, even if the repair itself is permanent.
Replacing damaged trees, shrubs or ground cover is not eligible, nor are crops.
For equipment damage, show maintenance records proving it was in good condition, and when, where and how it was damaged.
Damage to private property is eligible only for an easement you must repair, or property you leased for sheltering or debris staging where the lease makes you responsible.
Damage from snow work outside the approved period is not eligible.

Documentation

Maintenance records, incident reports describing how damage occurred, and lease or easement terms for private property.

Watch out · Govstar practitioner advice

Write an incident report the day equipment is damaged. A reconstructed account months later rarely meets the “unavoidable” test.

Govstar summarizes FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide in plain language and links to the official text. Govstar is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. This is general guidance, not legal advice.