Voter’s rights groups are concerned that the more than 8,000 out-of-state first responders helping with Hurricane Sandy relief in New Jersey may be disenfranchised this Election Day.

Barabara Arnwine, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, wrote a letter Monday to all state Governors’ urging them to find a way to allow for absentee voting for those individuals.

“We are concerned that these first responders will be unable to exercise their fundamental right to vote simply because they have responded to the emergency calls for their assistance,”Arnwine’s letter states.

Ohio Task Force One has received orders to demobilize today, having completed their door-to-door food and water distribution in the Gerritsen Beach area of New Jersey.

They will spend today loading equipment and then convoy to Scranton, Pa. where they will stay overnight.

This means they will not return home to Ohio in time to vote.

Xenia Fire Capt. Doug Cope, one of the emergency responders, said Tuesday that 43 of the 79 members of the local contingent hadn’t voted early when they were quickly deployed and thus wouldn’t be able to cast ballots in the election.

Cope said he was one of those who didn’t vote, but he said the importance of responding to the emergency far outweighs the sacrifice. “The way I look at it is, it is what it is,” he said. “Given the options, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Seventy-nine members of Ohio Task Force One and 80 from Indiana Task Force One were deployed to the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on last week and then travelled to Seaside Heights, N.J. for rescue operations following Hurricane Sandy. This timeline includes updates from Cox Media Group Ohio staff who are embedded with the task force.

Earlier updates:

SATURDAY, NOV. 3

@11:27 a.m.: It appears that News Center 7’s time working alongside Ohio Task Force One is coming to a close. WHIO’s Jessica Heffner reports that she and colleague Drew Simon are preparing to leave New Jersey. Heffner reports that Ohio Task Force One will probably not be assigned to another mission in New Jersey. What is far more likely, however, is that the task force’s services will be transferred to the New York City area. If that happens, task force members will travel to the assigned location by helicopter. Heffner says everyone is “still very upbeat and the mission yesterday raised everyone’s spirits.” In particular, she said morale was high after no one was found during the recent search, signaling that many people heeded repeated warnings to evacuate.

Tom Lakamp, a task force leader, said the mission has been worthwhile, and all members of the task force unit have kept busy.

“When you put 80 Type A personalities together, it’s good to get them something to do,” he said with a smile.

FRIDAY, NOV. 2

9:55 p.m.: News Center 7’s Jessica Heffner reports that as of now Ohio Task Force One does not have a mission scheduled for Saturday. However, they have also not been released from service in New Jersey. The 79 individuals that make up the unit will remain on base to complete training exercises. This training can only be done at the base and will continue until they’re either given another mission or are released. Training missions include those with functioning helicopters and those with K-9 search and rescue teams. A small group of Ohio Task Force One members did go on a second mission to the most hazardous zone in Seaside Heights. They re-examined demolished houses to ensure no more victims were trapped within the wreckage. If human remains are under the rubble, Ohio Task Force One dogs are not trained to detect those. Rather, they are live-find dogs.

2:10 p.m.: News Center 7’s Jessica Heffner reports that mountains of sand fill the streets of Seaside Heights. She said as they left the mission area, crews sprayed off sand that had accumulated on vvehicles.

1:54 p.m.: Ohio Task Force One has regrouped and returned to the command post set up by FEMA and New Jersey.

10:25 a.m. Ohio Task Force One found a family in their home. The husband, wife, teenage son and several dogs did not want to leave their home, but asked for assistance in charging their cell phones. Ohio Task Force One will relay the message to local authorities. The family rode out the storm in their house and lost power.

9:37 a.m. Members of Ohio Task Force One are in Seaside Heights checking homes for stranded or injured people.

THURSDAY, NOV. 1

6:48 p.m.

OHTF1 just learned they will be leaving in buses at 6 a.m. to head to Seaside Heights on the Jersey Shore.

Reports indicate there is no infrastructure remaining there and teams are being airlifted in from New York and other parts of New Jersey.

6 p.m. We’ve just learned that OHTF1 is being assigned a mission, most likely for early tomorrow morning. They’re getting briefed right now and we’ll report the details soon.

1:40 p.m.: Ohio Task Force 1 members are training to use lifts with helicopters and getting search and rescue dogs used to being around helicopters. They are preparing to be deployed to areas along the coast that have not yet been searched for people. Missions are occuring throughout the day.

Noon: Mitch Ross, of the Upper Arlington Fire Department, and Gene Thomas, of the Fairborn Fire Department, are preparing for their first mission with Ohio Task Force One. They are being briefed on the aerial reconnaissance mission.

10:40 a.m. Two task force members, a search team manager and a planning manager are performing aerial reconnaissance mission abour a blackhawk helicopter. They’ll be doing damage mapping of the coastlines in New Jersey and New York. Some areas of the coast have not been viewed yet, according to task force officials. They will determine what areas still need searched, and there may ve additional missions for the task force if FEMA says there is still a need for search and rescue teams.

8:24 a.m. Task Force One has been moved up to a “30-minute wheel” which means they must be ready to go in 30 minutes if they are called up. The task force knows there will be several helicopter missions today, but have not been told if they’ll be one of them.

Lines for gasoline remain long everywhere on the coast. Power is slowly being restored. The death toll in

the United States because of Hurricane Sandy is now at 56, and 124 total after dozens of deaths occured in the Caribbean. Army Corps engineers are expected to begin pumping water from flooded tunnels today.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 31

6:40 p.m. Ohio Task Force One completed training exercises today in GPS, compass, helicopter and K-9 search and rescue while awaiting their assignment. Indiana Task Force One deployed to Long Island today.

2:22 p.m. While awaiting orders, Ohio Task Force One is completing GPS training.

1:44 p.m. The Cox Media Group Ohio staff members with the Ohio Task Force One have been given permission to go on base with the group. President Obama is expected to be at the base to review the damages in the area.

12:12 p.m. I just got a bulletin from the Joint Base McGuire-Dix where Ohio Taskforce One is stationed. The base is on yellow alert because of the storm. They report many downed trees and power lines because of the storm. The base security has blocked off roads for safety reasons. - Jessica Heffner Noon Lines to businesses with power are long. Columbus residents are seeking places to eat and fill their gas tanks. It seems everywhere you look, there is a long line. - Jessica Heffner

11:16 a.m. Update from Jessica Heffner, in Columbus, N.J.: The Ohio responders are awaiting the final order for task forces on where to enter into New Jersey. They may need to enter via helicopter. Security is high at McGuire-Dix Joint Air Base. President Obama is visiting the state today and he may fly into the base. There is no power in Columbus about 20 minutes from the base. Businesses are using backup generators. Traffic lights are out. 8:30 a.m. The team, which met up with 80 members of Indiana Task Force One in Akron this morning, is staged at Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst in New Jersey. An exact assignment is expected around 9 a.m. today.

TUESDAY, OCT. 30

9:30 p.m. Our crew was travelling through eastern Pennsylvania and reported many towns in total darkness. They’ve been driving through stiff winds and a mix of rain and snow on their way through Pennsylvania on Interstate 80 today. Scott Hall with Task Force One said the the requests coming in for urban search and rescue far outweighs the number of rescuers available, and the team will likely head straight to an area in need. The team was activated by FEMA. About 30 percent of team members are from the Miami Valley area. Members are trained in two functions, including structural collapses due to wind damage and water rescue. Water rescue will deal specifically with people trapped by flood waters, Hall said.