A federal judge on Monday extended Florida’s voter registration from Tuesday until 5 p.m. Wednesday, after Hurricane Matthew inundated the eastern half of the state Friday.
The Florida Democratic Party sued in U.S. District Court last week, after Republican Gov. Rick Scott denied its request to extend the deadline because of the hurricane. The lawsuit said there was a “strong likelihood” voters would be “severely burdened” by the hurricane’s damage and not have time to register.
Marc Elias, general counsel for Hillary Clinton’s campaign, said Scott “unambigiously ordered” residents to evacuate.
Scott had opposed the extension, arguing “people have had time to register.”
But U.S. District Judge Mark Walter said the hurricane, which was a Category 4 when it hit Florida, stopped residents from being able to register to vote either in person or by mail. “Because those aspiring eligible voters could not register, they could not vote in the upcoming election. As a result, Florida’s statutory framework completely disenfranchises thousands of voters, and amounts to a severe burden on the right to vote.”
He also scheduled a hearing on Tuesday on whether to extend the deadline further. The Democratic Party has requested voter registration be extended until Oct. 18.
“It has been suggested that the issue of extending the voter registration deadline is about politics. Poppycock,” Walker wrote. “This case is about the right of aspiring eligible voters to register and to have their votes counted. Nothing could be more fundamental to our democracy.”
