Federal Judge Denies Voter Registration Extension in Georgia

A federal judge, Eleanor Ross, has denied an immediate request to extend Georgia's voter registration deadline following Hurricane Helene, stating that the voting rights groups involved did not sufficiently prove that the storm caused significant disruptions to registration efforts. While the plaintiffs assert that the hurricane led to widespread power and internet outages and the cancellation of registration events, the judge noted a lack of evidence showing individuals were unable to register due to the storm. The current registration deadline has passed, but another hearing is scheduled to assess new evidence. The groups involved include the Georgia conference of the NAACP, the Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, and the New Georgia Project, which argue that failing to reopen registration could disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters. Georgia's electoral landscape is particularly sensitive, with previous elections decided by a very narrow margin, making the implications of voter registration critical. Critics, including state officials and the Republican Party, argue that reopening registration would place an undue burden on local election authorities as early voting approaches.