For your particular case, I wouldn't support an exemption; while I certainly consider you an established community member, it's your fault alone that you scrambled the password and changed the e-mail details of your previous account. It's like shredding your driver's license in a country or state that requires a driver's license to vote.
In general, I think that exceptions should certainly not be made once the election starts. If any case-based issues should arise, perhaps they could be looked at before the election starts, but I can't think of any scenario where I would support an account being specifically exempted.