Georgia Voter Registration Deadline Extension Request

Lawsuit filed by the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda and the New Georgia Project against Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) and Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger (R) requesting the state extend its voter registration deadline to Oct. 14 following the effects of Hurricane Helene. Due to power and internet outages, road closures and flooding, several county board of elections offices have been closed for an extended period of time. The plaintiffs claim that their organizations had to cancel voter registration events because they could not access or submit voter registration applications due to these closures. They allege that there is typically a significant spike in the number of voter registration in the week before the deadline. The plaintiffs argue that if the voter registration deadline is not extended, many otherwise qualified voters may not be able to vote in the 2024 general election, creating an undue burden on the right to vote in violation of the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution. They also argue that this decision violates Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act, which requires states to accept any voter registration form postmarked no later than 30 days before an election. They ask the court to order Georgia to extend its voter registration deadline to Oct. 14 or alternatively extend the deadline for the counties most heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene.

The plaintiffs filed their complaint on Oct. 7, 2024.

STATUS: There will be a hearing in this case on Oct. 9, 2024.

Last updated: October 9, 2024 10:09 am EST