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Download As tens of millions of US citizens living on the East Coast of the United States brace for possible devastation from Hurricane Sandy, few might realize the key role the dramatic weather might play in the close presidential election only eight days away. The hurricane is expected to affect a large area of the country, including key swing states such as North Carolina, Virginia and Ohio. Strong winds, heavy rains and snowstorms are expected to cause widespread flooding and power outages. Already, Maryland’s Governor Martin O'Malley, a Democrat, has canceled early voting on Monday. Early voting has also been canceled for Monday in Washington DC. Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, a Republican, said his state will extend early voting hours and restore power quickly to election facilities in the event of power outages. A Washington Post poll released on Sunday revealed that Barack Obama lead Mitt Romney by 51 percent to 47 percent in Virginia, just outside the poll's margin of error. Both candidates have canceled or changed their campaign plans for the coming days due to the hurricane. After meeting top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials on Sunday to discuss preparations for the weather, Obama, who described the hurricane as a "serious and big storm", left the White House for Florida. Obama had planned to go ahead with events in Florida on Monday, but he made a last minute decision to cancel the event in Orlando, Florida, on Monday and return to Washington to handle the crisis caused by the storms. | 
