Florida Governor Refuses to Extend Next Week’s Voter Registration Deadline Despite Catastrophic Hurr
Source: Slate
Florida Gov. Rick Scott has told millions of people in his state to evacuate their homes as the state looks down the barrel of the potentially catastrophic Hurricane Matthew that is expected to make landfall early Friday morning. The impact of the storm could last well through Election Day. Florida is obviously an important state this and every presidential election. Even still, the Republican governor told reporters Thursday that despite the upheaval, next weeks Oct. 11 voter registration deadline will not be moved to accommodate as-of-yet unregistered potential voters who may be affected by the storm.
"I'm not going to extend it," the governor told reporters Thursday. "Everybody has had a lot of time to register. On top of that, we have lots of opportunities to vote: early voting, absentee voting, Election Day. So I don't intend to make any changes." Really? The appropriate response, instead of dismissing the idea out of hand, would be to say: "We're going to do our best to make sure everyone is safe and sound and everyone who wants to get to vote has that chance. We'll evaluate what, if any, changes need to be made once we're through this."
Or try replacing voter registration deadline with tax deadline and see how people react. Or with "final exam." People have jobs and lives and, you know, need a deadline to do things. If you think that last minute registration isnt a thing or doesnt affect a significant group of people, youre wrong. Elections supervisors typically see a surge in voter interest immediately before the registration closes, according to the Miami Herald. About 50,000 people registered during the final five days in 2012, according to University of Florida professor Daniel A. Smith, who studies Florida voting trends.
The Clinton campaign requested the extension because it is currently in overdrive trying to register Americans to participate and vote, which is usually considered good, admirable civic work. The Trump campaign is, well, the Trump campaign. By contrast, South Carolina governor Nikki Haley extended her states registration deadline Thursday.
Read more: http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/10/06/florida_governor_refuses_to_extend_voter_registration_deadline_despite_hurricane.html
He's too busy trying to take over the world and kill The Boy Who Lived to extend the deadline
still_one
(92,131 posts)hope that most of those people would have registered during the primaries, though it would definitely affect those who have turned 18 in the last couple of months and haven't had a chance to register
yuiyoshida
(41,831 posts)Kingofalldems
(38,444 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,831 posts)I said my peace...
Kingofalldems
(38,444 posts)I do my best to fight the Trumpies in other ways.
DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)I would get a pizza. Suffice it to say the same people who Kvetch about Millennials not voting are they that have no problem dismissing their voting rights.
Judi Lynn
(160,516 posts)DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Florida has needed to be under the microscope since 2000. Right now there should be ads: Rick is trying to do now what Jeb did in 2000. Part of the problem is that a certain South Florida person who is thankfully NOT running the campaign anymore considers many GOP "friends" and has no interest in changing the waters she thrives in.
Mc Mike
(9,114 posts)I remember when li'l bush and Rove moved heaven and earth to prevent Katrina refugees from being able to cast absentee ballots, because that election would have been a real referendum on repug governance, in Louisiana State and National office elections.