Federal Court Ignores Trump-Supporting Governor, Extends Voter Registration In Florida

Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 09:19 pm

After Democrats urged Republican Gov. Rick Scott of Florida to extend the voter registration deadline due to Hurricane Matthew, the governor – who happens to be the chairman of Donald Trump’s super PAC – said, “Nope.”

“Everybody has had a lot of time to register,” Scott said.

On Thursday, a federal court ignored the right-wing governor and extended the deadline for another day, pushing it until Wednesday of this week.  The judge called Scott’s refusal to give Floridians more time “poppycock,” particularly since the governor urged 1.5 million of his residents to evacuate the state last week.

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The important decision comes after Democrats in Florida sued Republicans in the state for not extending the deadline.

“Unlucky Floridians who happen to live in the counties stricken by Hurricane Matthew who have not yet registered will be unable to register by the October 11 deadline and will therefore not be permitted to vote in the upcoming general election,” according to the lawsuit.

Once again, Democrats are fighting with Republicans to do something that should be a no-brainer – make voting easier for as many people as possible. Unfortunately, the GOP knows that when fewer people turn out to the polls, they have a better chance of being successful.

That’s why, even in the wake of a powerful hurricane that temporarily displaced over a million people in the Sunshine State, Florida Republicans still wouldn’t budge on making sure voters had a chance to make up for lost time.

Florida, of course, is the biggest swing state prize on the electoral map, and Donald Trump cannot win the presidency without carrying it.

In the coming days, the Clinton campaign will hit the state hard with three rallies in two days, including a pair of rallies that feature Al Gore – who knows how important every vote is in Florida – and Barack Obama, who is the Democratic nominee’s biggest asset in this election.

Hillary Clinton currently leads Donald Trump by an average of three points in Florida, according to RealClearPolitics.

Sean Colarossi

Sean Colarossi currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and was an organizing fellow for both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns. He also worked with Planned Parenthood as an Affordable Care Act Outreach Organizer in 2014, helping northeast Ohio residents obtain health insurance coverage.