After the recent hurricanes that have hit various states, there have been efforts by Democrats and civil rights groups to extend the voter registration deadlines in order to ensure that all eligible citizens have the opportunity to vote in the upcoming November election. In Georgia, civil rights groups such as the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP and Stacey Abrams’ New Georgia Project filed a complaint against Governor Brian Kemp and other officials, arguing that not extending the deadline violates voters’ rights. However, their motion for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction was denied by the court.
Similarly, in Florida, civil rights groups like the League of Women Voters and the NAACP filed a lawsuit against Governor Ron DeSantis and Secretary of State Cord Byrd, seeking to extend the voter registration deadline. Despite their efforts, the motion was denied by District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
Republican election lawyer Jason Torchinsky noted that requests to extend voter registration deadlines are often denied, and that extending the deadlines in states like Georgia and Florida may not have a significant impact due to the registration rates in those states. Democratic political commentator Kaivan Shroff and Greta Bedekovics from the Center for American Progress criticized governors Kemp and DeSantis for not extending the deadlines, accusing them of playing partisan politics.
While the lawsuits to extend voter registration deadlines have faced obstacles in Georgia and Florida, Democrats in South Carolina were successful in extending the deadline to October 14. The South Carolina Democratic Party sued the South Carolina Elections Commission, and a circuit court judge ruled in their favor.
Hurricane Milton, a Category 3 storm, recently made landfall in Florida, leaving millions without power. The aftermath of hurricanes like Milton and Helene have raised concerns about voter registration and access to voting in the affected states.
Overall, the efforts to extend voter registration deadlines in hurricane-affected states have sparked debates and legal battles between political parties and civil rights groups. The outcomes of these lawsuits could have implications for voter turnout and the outcome of the November election in these key battleground states.