Judges reject civil rights groups' bids to extend voter registration deadline in FL, GA

Federal judges in Florida and Georgia ruled against civil rights groups seeking to extend voter registration deadlines in the wake of major hurricanes.

Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida late last month and hit several southern states, while Hurricane Milton hit the Sunshine State on Wednesday, causing significant flooding and damage.

U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta ruled against the NAACP, Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, and the New Georgia Project on Thursday, CNN reported. The voting and civil rights groups had asked that Georgia's voter registration deadline be extended a week because of the hurricane.

Ross, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, said the lawsuit “lacked clarity and detail” regarding how specific persons were harmed.

“Harms to the state’s interest outweighs the interest of the plaintiffs,” Ross ruled.

“The plaintiffs haven’t pointed to any statute or authority that the defendants had to extend the deadline,” she added. “We did not hear from anyone specifically who could not register to vote.”

Lawyers for Republicans Gov. Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger said an extension would be a significant “administrative burden” for the state's elections offices.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled against the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Florida NAACP, which were seeking to extend the Oct. 7 voter registration deadline in that state.

The two groups argued that prospective voters “will be deprived of that fundamental right because of the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, the threat to safety caused by Hurricane Milton, and the resultant shutdown of all means of voter registration, including government offices, roads, the Internet, and the postal service twice within the last weeks leading up to the voter registration deadline.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Monday regarding voter registration, “[p]eople can register today, and then that’s that. There’s nothing inhibiting your registering today. The storm has not hit yet.”