Up to 22 inches of rain: Brevard schools closed Tuesday, and some polling places move for Election Day

Updated as of 7:15 p.m. Monday. This is an evening update to our morning story.

Brevard’s Supervisor of Elections is moving polling places for eight precincts because of flooding, and more changes may come, the office said Monday evening. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Check votebrevard.gov before you leave.

• Precincts 307, 512 and 525: from Max K. Rodes Park Community Center to New Shiloh Christian Center, 3900 Sarno Road, Melbourne

• Precinct 309: from Veterans Memorial Complex to New Shiloh Christian Center, 3900 Sarno Road, Melbourne

• Precinct 306: from Eddie Lee Taylor Sr. Community Center to Joseph N. Davis Community Center, 2547 Bruce D. Buggs St., Melbourne

• Precincts 323 and 509: from Front Street Civic Center to Joseph N. Davis Community Center, 2547 Bruce D. Buggs St., Melbourne

• Precinct 517: from Faith Baptist Church of Palm Bay to Palm Bay City Hall Council Chambers, 120 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay

“For the safety and security of our election workers and the voters of Brevard, it is necessary to relocate a couple of precinct polling locations due to these unprecedented circumstances,” Supervisor of Elections Tim Bobanic said. Earlier Monday, Sheriff Wayne Ivey said, “No matter what, everybody will get an opportunity to vote tomorrow,” Central Florida Public Media reported.

The supervisor’s main office in Viera, 2725 Judge Fran Jamieson Way, stayed open Monday, including its secure drop-off for completed mail ballots. Its Titusville, Melbourne and Palm Bay offices are closed to the public until further notice. Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Monday for Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, Highlands, Hardee and DeSoto counties. Executive Order 26-227 says any supervisor of elections who cannot fully follow the state law on polling place changes must notify the Florida Department of State of substitute measures, which need the secretary of state’s approval, The Space Coast Rocket reported.

Schools

Brevard Public Schools will keep schools and district offices closed Tuesday, Nov. 3, “out of an abundance of caution and due to extensive flooding across the county,” the district said on its website. It has not said when schools will reopen.

How much rain

At 3:35 p.m., the National Weather Service said “between 16 and 22 inches of rain have fallen” in southeast Brevard and northeast Indian River County, including Palm Bay, Melbourne, Malabar, Indialantic, Barefoot Bay and Sebastian. County Emergency Management Director John Scott said south Brevard had seen 15 to 20 inches and Mims and Titusville 5 to 8, calling the south county totals “borderline historic,” Central Florida Public Media reported.

Warnings now

• The Flash Flood Emergency for West Melbourne, Palm Bay and Grant-Valkaria was lowered from a catastrophic to a considerable damage threat at 1:40 p.m. and expired at 3:45 p.m.

• A Flood Warning for southeast Brevard and northeast Indian River County runs until 9:30 p.m. Another for central Brevard, including Melbourne, Viera, Merritt Island, Satellite Beach and Indian Harbour Beach, runs until 8 p.m.

• A Flood Watch covers the county until 10 a.m. Tuesday. “Any additional rainfall overnight may exacerbate ongoing flooding,” the weather service said.

• The St. Johns River near Cocoa rose into minor flood stage Monday afternoon and is forecast to reach moderate flood stage mid to late week.

Water and rescues

Melbourne issued a precautionary boil water notice for all its water customers after a major water main break, Spectrum News 13 reported. That includes West Melbourne customers and Indialantic, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Village, Palm Shores, Satellite Beach and unincorporated areas south of the Pineda Causeway. Suntree and Viera are on Cocoa’s system and are not affected. Boil water for one minute before drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth or washing dishes, or use bottled water.

Palm Bay shut off water to some customers after a main break along Port Malabar Boulevard NE that crews could not safely reach, Florida Today reported. Once service returns, those customers will be under a boil water notice.

The sheriff’s office said some people were trapped in homes and others in vehicles, and crews brought in higher-clearance vehicles, News 6 reported. Melbourne firefighters were responding to about 25 flooding calls, police Cmdr. Shawn Eising told Central Florida Public Media, adding that the water will probably take “days” to recede in some areas. As of 7:15 p.m., 321 Daily had found no official countywide count of rescues or flooded homes.

Safety and voting

• Stay off the roads tonight. Never drive or walk through floodwater. Turn around, don’t drown.

• Call 911 for emergencies.

• Check votebrevard.gov tonight and Tuesday morning for polling place changes. Eight precincts have already moved.

• Mail ballots can be dropped off at the Viera elections office; the Titusville, Melbourne and Palm Bay offices are closed.

• Melbourne water customers: boil water for drinking and cooking.

Based on National Weather Service alerts, Brevard Public Schools, the Supervisor of Elections and published reports. 321 Daily did not seek comment for this story.