Q. Could the Nov. 6 election be changed?

A. Yes, but it's highly unlikely, and it's not up to the president. Congress sets the date for the presidential election - the Tuesday after the first Monday in November, every fourth year. Congress could act within the next week to change the date, but that would be tough because lawmakers are on recess and back home in their districts campaigning for re-election. Plus, it's likely that would mean changing the date for the entire country, not just those affected by the storm. What's more, Congress only selects the date for federal races, so changing the date would wreak havoc for state and local elections also scheduled for Nov. 6. States might have to hold two separate days of voting, which could bust state budgets.

Q. What is the federal government doing to help?

A. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's administrator, Craig Fugate, said Monday he anticipated the storm's impact could linger into next week and affect the election. He said FEMA would look at what support it could provide to states before the election. "This will be led by the states," he said.