A judge on Monday extended Florida’s voter registration deadline by one more day, through Wednesday, because of Hurricane Matthew, calling it “irrational” for the state to reject the idea. U.S. District Judge Mark Walker granted the Florida Democratic Party’s request for a temporary restraining order, which included a rebuke of the state for refusing to extend the deadline past its scheduled time of 5 p.m. Tuesday. “Quite simply, it is wholly irrational in this instance for Florida to refuse to extend the voter registration deadline when the state already allows the governor to suspend or move the election date due to an unforeseen emergency,” Walker wrote in a 16-page order. “If aspiring eligible Florida voters are barred from registering to vote, then those voters are stripped of one of our most precious freedoms.”
… “We are thrilled with today’s ruling and we look forward to making our case on Wednesday for extending the voter registration deadline to Oct. 18,” Democratic Party chairwoman Allison Tant said. “This is a win for the people of Florida.”
Scott had rejected repeated demands from Democrats to extend the deadline.
After the order was issued Monday, Scott’s spokeswoman, Jackie Schutz, referred the Times/Herald to a previous comment. On Thursday, the governor, who also serves as chair of a pro-Donald Trump super PAC, said of the deadline: “I’m not going to extend it. Everybody has had a lot of time to register.”
Full Article: Federal judge extends voter registration deadline, rebukes state for ‘irrational’ decision | Miami Herald.