presidential elections during war time

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

He was actually pretty insistent on it, although obviously he wasn't so democratic with, say, Maryland.

I'm rather glad that he wasn't, because otherwise today there would be about 10 North American States, and they'd be speaking German in Paris.

Still, it is possible that a President could impose martial law to suspend an election in a time of national emergency.  I would even go so far as to say that, in the event that many people would not be able to make it to the polls for whatever reason, it would be the right thing to do.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Still, it is possible that a President could impose martial law to suspend an election in a time of national emergency.  I would even go so far as to say that, in the event that many people would not be able to make it to the polls for whatever reason, it would be the right thing to do.

I see no constitutional authority giving these powers to the president.

He/she wouldn't need constitutional authority.  Precedence of law would be enough.  Martial law is the suspension of ordinary, constitutional law.  That's the whole point.  Lincoln did it in 1861, so you do have precedence.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Still, it is possible that a President could impose martial law to suspend an election in a time of national emergency.  I would even go so far as to say that, in the event that many people would not be able to make it to the polls for whatever reason, it would be the right thing to do.

I see no constitutional authority giving these powers to the president.

He/she wouldn't need constitutional authority.  Precedence of law would be enough.  Martial law is the suspension of ordinary, constitutional law.  That's the whole point.  Lincoln did it in 1861, so you do have precedence.

My guess is that Lincoln could not have gotten away with that today. In some ways we have become MORE constitutional as a nation. Absent a horrific attack (worse than 9/11) nobody would acquiesce to martial law and the suspension of civil liberties. Certainly NOT to rig an election.

It wouldn't be done to "rig" an election.  But let's say someone explodes a dirty bomb in Manhattan on November 1, and everyone in the tri-state area had to stay indoors while they cleaned up the mess.  I think the appropriate action would be to suspend the election until everyone can get out to vote.