(MCT) — HACKENSACK, N.J. — After an election year with billions spent on commercials and campaigns — and heated battles in many states over how much fraud control at polling places is appropriate — it comes down to this: Storm-ravaged New Jersey is rewriting the playbook on the fly to let as many people as possible have their votes counted Tuesday.

People in hurricane shelters got absentee ballots. Thousands more waited in lines to get them at county offices. Those staying with friends and relatives are being treated the same as overseas members of the military and allowed to vote by email, fax or at a polling site far from home.