Tallahassee/Atlanta: Two federal judges have declined to extend voter registration deadlines in Florida and Georgia ahead of the November 5 elections, despite widespread damage caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Civil rights groups had sought extensions, arguing that the hurricanes—which killed more than 200 people and left millions without power—created severe challenges for residents trying to meet the voter registration deadlines.
In Georgia, U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross ruled against the extension request made by the state’s NAACP chapter, the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, and the New Georgia Project. The plaintiffs had asked for an extension until October 14, citing the difficulties caused by the storms. However, Ross rejected the request, stating that the arguments “lacked clarity and detail.”
“We did not hear from anyone specifically who could not register to vote,” Ross said in her ruling, according to CNN. The decision was delivered from the bench and was not immediately available online.
A day earlier, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida, similarly denied a request to extend Florida’s voter registration deadline by 10 days. The request had been brought by the League of Women Voters of Florida and the state’s NAACP chapter. Florida’s registration deadline was set for October 7.
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The NAACP, which advocates for racial justice and civil rights, has yet to respond to the rulings.
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Florida, historically a key battleground state, has leaned more Republican in recent years. Georgia, meanwhile, remains one of seven pivotal states that could determine the outcome of the presidential election between Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump, the Republican candidate.
