LEAGUE CITY, Texas -- The Texas Secretary of State visited Galveston County to help them figure out how to hold an election, after Hurricane Ike destroyed nearly one out of five polling stations.  With the election only five weeks away, County workers and candidates are trying to prepare with the resources they have available. 

"The last thing people want to talk about right now is the election," said Cheryl Johnson, Galveston County Tax Assessor.

Over the last few days, county workers have peeled apart over a hundred voter registration cards found floating in a flooded courthouse.  But candidates have bigger problems than water damaged cards. Some of them said they aren’t sure how to campaign for the upcoming election.

"Hurricane Ike has changed the dynamics of the election because a lot of things have been postponed or cancelled," said Matt Crowder, who is one of the candidates in the upcoming election.

Democrat Matt Crowder is running for tax assessor. Most of his support came from Galveston, but now those voters are scattered.

"It doesn't feel right to be out there shaking hands saying, I'm Cheryl Johnson, will you vote for me? It's more important for me to say, I'm the county tax assessor collector, what can I do to serve you?" said Johnson.

"We have never experienced this before. There is no history. No historical model you can look to. We just have to do the best we can," said Crowder.

Texas Secretary of State Esperanza “Hope” Andrade said the logistics are in place for the election, but when it comes to the campaigning, it’s a different story.

Based on the county's plans, there will be 14 early voting locations across Galveston County, including two on the island. Early voting will begin on October 20 and run until October 31, and each of the locations will have expanded hours. 

On Election Day, there will be 60 polling places, which is 12 less than normal. This is because those 12 were destroyed in the storm.

Residents, who are living elsewhere because of Ike, arrange to vote by mail. They can call 409-766-2200 to get an absentee ballot sent to them, no matter where they are staying.