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Arizona voter registration deadline extended until October 23

Posted at 9:09 PM, Oct 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-13 22:27:34-04

The Arizona voter registration deadline has been extended until October 23rd.

According to court documents, a federal judge has ruled to extend Arizona's voter registration deadline until 5 p.m. the 23rd after two non-profit organizations sued Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs for not addressing "difficulties with voters who register too close to the election requesting an early voting ballot."

The extension was made to "alleviate any potential problems with belated requests for any Early Voting ballots beyond that date."

The non-profit organizations, Mi Familia Vota and Arizona Coalition for Change say they have not registered enough people to vote due to COVID-19 restrictions.

They say based on State data, "around 65,120 voters would be able to register in the three-week extension period, if it is granted."

The court ruled in the organizations' favor after they say the state "failed to show the administrative burden on the state outweighs the burden on Plaintiffs’ First and Fourteenth Amendment rights."

“We are reviewing and considering what’s best for ensuring the orderly administration of the election,” Secretary of State Katie Hobbs office said in a statement.

“This is a huge victory for democracy,” said Flavio Bravo with Mi Familia Vota in a statement. “With this court-ordered relief, thousands of more voters will be able to register to vote in the midst of this pandemic and will be able to participate in the November 2020 election.”

“This ruling is a vindication of the fundamental right to vote,” said Reginald Bolding with the Arizona Coalition for Change in a statement. “Court intervention here was necessary to address the impact of the pandemic on voter registration. Thanks to this ruling, many more voters will have their voices heard in this election.”

Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs issued a statement via Twitter Monday night, saying she will not appeal the court's decision.

Read the full ruling below: