Florida Gov. Refuses To Extend Voter Registration Deadline Over Hurricane

[yuiyoshida]

Hours after warning state residents that the hurricane bearing down on their coastline “will kill” those who remain in evacuation zones, Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) announced that he would not extend the Tuesday deadline for voter registration.

“Everybody has had a lot of time to register,” Scott, who chairs the pro-Donald Trump Rebuilding America Now PAC, said in a storm update on Thursday night. “On top of that, we’ve got lots of opportunities to vote: Early voting, absentee voting and Election Day. So, I don’t intend to make any changes.”

Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign requested a deadline extension to accommodate the thousands of voters who have been forced from their homes by the fierce winds and storm surge caused by the hurricane, which was downgraded to a Category 3 storm overnight.

“We are hoping and expecting that officials in Florida will adapt deadlines to account for the storm,” Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook told reporters in a Thursday press conference, according to Politico.

While Politico reported that campaign staffers did not say if they planned to sue over Scott's decision, a partner at Perkins Coie, a law firm that works for both Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee wrote a tweet saying other folks would “have the last say on this.”

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/rick-scott-refuses-extend-voter-registration-deadline-hurricane-matthew

[NightWatcher]

1. I hate to agree w Scott, but people have had years to register

If people hadn't registered by now, what are the odds it'd be the first thing they'd do after a hurricane blew through.

[yuiyoshida]

2. Whats wrong with that?

Hello? If PEOPLE want to vote for the first time EVER, WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THAT?

[NightWatcher]

3. If they want to vote, why didn't they register already?

Why did they wait till the last week of registration with a major hurricane looming offshore?

If registration were extended, how many people would register the week right after a storm?

I'm all for voter registration but I see why the governor would make no special extension just because of a storm. If they wanted to vote, they've had plenty of time to register.

[yuiyoshida]

4. So you would deny people from registration?

What the fuck is wrong with you? Only a Republican would prevent people from voting because damn it they might end up voting for a Democrat! That's why they make voter ID laws, that's why they Gerrymander sections for Republican blocks of voting, that's why they intimidate minority voters, that's why they accuse people of being illegal immigrants. Seriously, You are so wrong, on this issue.

ITS OUR FUCKING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE!!!

[NightWatcher]

5. There are always cutoff date prior to elections

There are always end cutoff dates for registration prior to elections, those dates are known well ahead of time. This is not unconstitutional, it's procedural.

If it was so important to get registered, why wait till the last days, which this year coincided with a storm?

[yuiyoshida]

7. Hey,....

#HurricaneMatthew
School year calendar extended
Football games moved.
Florida legislative deadlines delayed.
Voting registration? Nope

[NightWatcher]

9. How long have people already had?

The game is scheduled for one day. That one day was rescheduled.

School has storm days figured into the calendar year every year.

People have had more than 200 days already this year to register. At what point are they responsible for getting it done?

[yuiyoshida]

11. You don't want minorities to vote

Do you? What A Republican idea!

[NightWatcher]

13. Cut it out. The last day to register is Oct 11, it was known all year

How long would you have them be able to register?

[yuiyoshida]

14. Well again...

#HurricaneMatthew
School year calendar extended
Football games moved.
Florida legislative deadlines delayed.
Voting registration? Nope

[NightWatcher]

17. MOST STATES HAVE CUTOFF DATES TO REGISTER. FLORIDA'S LAST DAY IS OCT 11

I'm actually volunteering on Hillary's voter protection team and have done this for the Dems for the last two elections.

Chill out ok. People have had all year to register and the time has been trimmed in storm related areas by 4 days or so. This is not an attempt to prevent minorities from voting.

We're dealing with a ton of shit here in the storm affected areas. We'll have a ton of shit to deal with after we return to damaged areas and try to rebuild our lives.

Don't you dare call me a Republican.

[yuiyoshida]

19. "This is not an attempt to prevent minorities from voting"

I do believe Rick Scott doesn't give a FUCK about minorities in your state.

[Judi Lynn]

22. Right on target, yuiyoshida. Nothing less. n/t

[davidn3600]

6. You have had YEARS to register

People who wait for the last minute have no one to blame but themselves.

Eventually a voter has to have some personal responsibility here. I can't blame the state when you have had literally months and years to do this.

[yuiyoshida]

8. oh right... again...

#HurricaneMatthew
School year calendar extended
Football games moved.
Florida legislative deadlines delayed.
Voting registration? Nope

So you would deny people from registration?
What the fuck is wrong with you? Only a Republican would prevent people from voting because damn it they might end up voting for a Democrat! That's why they make voter ID laws, that's why they Gerrymander sections for Republican blocks of voting, that's why they intimidate minority voters, that's why they accuse people of being illegal immigrants. Seriously, You are so wrong, on this issue.

ITS OUR FUCKING CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO VOTE!!!

[davidn3600]

10. Scott doesn't have the authority to extend it anyway, so what's the point?

According to the law, the Florida legislature has to extend it. And they aren't in session.

What to do in this kind of situation may be something you want to bring up with your elected representatives so there isn't this issue next time.

But there isn't much that can be done right now.

[yuiyoshida]

12. I just love how you assume I live in Florida.

Like as if someone who doesn't live there can't have an opinion about voting rights. And I guess you don't feel some people have a right to vote. Maybe they are "illegal" aliens... or maybe they are Minority voters. Maybe they are not Republicans? I am sure you can probably find a dozen reasons why a person should not be eligible to vote.

[LanternWaste]

15. Does that apply to all people, all circumstances and all exigencies, regardless?

"People who wait for the last minute have no one to blame but themselves...."


Does that apply to all people, all circumstances and all exigencies, regardless? Seems rather irrational and dogmatic to allege as much; but then again, irrational and dogmatic allegations, being simplistic, are very popular and trendy.

[yuiyoshida]

16. Especially if you are Trump supporter...

There, I said, it.

[davidn3600]

18. At some point there has to be a cut off

If they extend it a week and someone complains they didn't get to register....it should be extended again?

When does it become a personal responsibility? It's never going to be long enough.

You got to cut it off at some point.

[yuiyoshida]

20. Extend it a week than.

There is no harm in that, unless, gee ya might register a few more Democrats, "OMG! we can't have that!!"

[Igel]

23. There's a back of house issue, though.

I don't know how Florida does their elections. The one's I've been a poll worker on had actual people producing actual pieces of paper that had voter information on them.

This took time and effort and resources. The later the registration deadline, the more OT those people had to put in. I'd expect them to have a schedule with milestones all set up to make sure all's ready by the final deadline, election day.

They reschedule a football game. They haven't said they're rescheduling the elections.

At the same time, Florida's going to have to scramble to make sure that all the voting equipment is in place, the facilities are secured and in order, alternative sites found, etc., etc. The elections folk have their work cut out for them in the next month.


Many people scream at the top of their lungs about how workers need to be respected. In this case, I'd argue against the extension simply because it would put extra pressure on them under normal circumstances. And a lot of pressure given the circumstances under which they have to organize this election.

With the added point that these are people who live in the area and may be inconvenienced themselves by Matthew.

[Judi Lynn]

21. People who have moved, people who just turned 18, people who've been unable to get around,

people who have been ill, people who've been busy attending ill relatives all by themselves, and so many others have entirely respectable reasons for not having had the ways and means to participate already.

What's it to you if the government allows adequate time for everyone to register, anyway? You resent that?

What people are most likely to be "irresponsible," in your esteemed view, anyway? Are they all just lazy swine?

Why don't you consider not coming here to attack strangers you can't possibly know, in situations you could never fathom, and back off trying to get others to hate them along with you? You have absolutely no reason whatsoever to proclaim the unregistered people are simply not responsible. That's truly low down and less than admirable.