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Expect perfect voting weather Tuesday in Pa., N.J., and Delaware

The weather should do nothing to hold down turnout in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware on Tuesday.

Some of the temporary mural walls in LOVE Park created by six local artists with the collective title, “To The Polls.” The sun should rule on Election Day as it did when this photo was taken two weeks ago.
Some of the temporary mural walls in LOVE Park created by six local artists with the collective title, “To The Polls.” The sun should rule on Election Day as it did when this photo was taken two weeks ago.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer

In their pursuit of Pennsylvania’s precious 19 electoral votes, the presidential nominees should be grateful they aren’t running against Tuesday’s weather.

After a couple of quite chilly nights, Philadelphia’s temperatures will be in the 50s when the polls open at 7 a.m. and then head into the 70s after the sun cooks the remnants of any morning fog. It even will be warmer than it was during the April primary.

It’s not just Philly: Temperatures in Erie are going to make a run at a daily record with a high in the mid-70s, which would be normal for the first week in June. Vice President Kamala Harris and her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, aren’t the only people running for office, nor is Pennsylvania the only state holding an election, recent coverage notwithstanding.

U.S. Senate races will be decided in New Jersey and Delaware, where forecasts are calling for nothing but sun and warmth from Seaford to Newark.

It is unclear just how much all this benign behavior of the atmosphere will affect turnout, especially given the numbers of mail votes already cast. In addition, academic studies of the impacts the weather has on elections have shown most everything.

The notion that weather somehow affects turnout dates to the 19th century and has had more staying power than most politicians. It appeared to get a boost when it was mentioned in The Making of the President, 1960, in what became a first in a series by historian Theodore White.

White held that the huge turnout in 1960 was related to the generally favorable weather across the country, although the nominees, Democratic Sen. John F. Kennedy and Republican Vice President Richard M. Nixon, likely had something to do with that.

All indications are that weather won’t be a major player Tuesday. The weather across the country is forecast to be generally benign, but the National Weather Service says showers and thunderstorms are possible in populous areas of two swing states, Michigan and Wisconsin.

In Michigan, the showers are likely in the Grand Rapids region, with only a chance in the Detroit and the eastern half of the state.

In the end, voter enthusiasm is likely to overwhelm any weather factor.