FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 7, 2016
CONTACT: ACLU of Florida Media Office, media@aclufl.org, 786-363-2737
MIAMI, FL – Florida Governor Rick Scott has stated that despite the declaration of a state of emergency in response to Hurricane Matthew, he will not extend the state’s voter registration deadline beyond the currently scheduled date of October 11.
The ACLU of Florida is urging Gov. Scott to extend the voter registration deadline. ACLU of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon stated:
"If the Republican Governor of South Carolina can use her emergency powers to extend the deadline to register to vote because of interruptions caused by Hurricane Matthew, there is no reason that Gov. Rick Scott should not do so as well.
"This is a simple, non-partisan request for the Governor to use his authority to ensure that every eligible voter has the opportunity to participate in this important election.
"Preparing our state for a natural disaster and enabling full and fair participation in our democratic process aren’t mutually exclusive – in fact, they should go hand in hand.
"Hurricane Matthew and Gov. Scott’s Declaration of a State of Emergency interrupted the voter registration process at a crucial time: in 2012, approximately 50,000 Floridians registered to vote during the final days before the registration deadline.
"The Governor should use his executive author to extend the time to register to vote for the same period that the process was shut down as a result of his Declaration of a State of Emergency.
"As Floridians in parts of the state continue to deal with the hurricane and its aftermath, the Governor should ensure that they are not shut out of the voting process."
