Voter registration deadlines will not be reopened in Florida and Georgia after federal judges rejected efforts to do so due to Hurricane Helene hammering the two states two weeks ago.
The voter registration deadlines in both the Sunshine State and Peach State were Monday, meaning those who register past the deadlines will not be able to participate in the Nov. 5 election. Two different lawsuits were brought in federal court seeking to extend the deadline by a week in Georgia and by 10 days in Florida.
The NAACP filed the lawsuit aimed at Georgia’s deadline, while the League of Women Voters of Florida and the Florida State Conference of the NAACP filed the lawsuit concerning Florida’s deadline. Both lawsuits had hearings over preliminary injunctions on Wednesday.
Judge Robert Hinkle of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida rejected the requested temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction on Flordia’s deadline on Wednesday, while Judge Eleanor Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia rejected the attempt to extend the Georgia deadline on Thursday.
Both lawsuits cited Helene’s impact hampering voters’ ability to register as their rationale for extending the deadline. The Florida lawsuit also mentioned Hurricane Milton, which did not make landfall until two days after the original deadline.
The Georgia NAACP expressed disappointment over the rejection but said its “resolve remains unwavering.”
“We will continue to fight relentlessly for voter access in Georgia, as we are committed to ensuring that every citizen’s voice is heard at the ballot box. Securing and protecting voting rights is fundamental to our democracy, and we will not rest until full and fair access is guaranteed for all Georgians,” Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs said in a statement.
League of Women Voters of Florida Co-Presidents Cecile Scoon and Debbie Chandler also shared their disappointment at the Florida lawsuit being rejected.
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“The League believes that mandatory evacuations for both Hurricanes Helene and Milton left many citizens more focused on survival than on registering to vote. Florida residents should not have to juggle fleeing for their lives and protecting their property with fulfilling their civic duties,” they said in a statement. “Numerous League voter registration events were canceled due to the hurricanes, further limiting opportunities for Floridians to register and learn about the importance of voting.”
Information about registering to vote and other information about the elections for all 50 states can be found on Vote.gov.