Judge reopens Georgia voter registration ahead of runoff

[babylonsister]

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/331993-judge-reopens-georgia-voter-registration-ahead-of-ga-6

Judge reopens Georgia voter registration ahead of runoff
By Nikita Vladimirov - 05/04/17 04:19 PM EDT


A federal judge has temporarily reopened voter registration Thursday, ahead of a congressional runoff election in Georgia's 6th district.

According to a report by AJC.com, the decision was made by U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten as a part of a larger lawsuit that examined whether Georgia violated federal law by reducing the amount of time state residents had to register to vote.

Voter registration was closed on March 20, despite the runoff contest being scheduled for the end of June.

The lawsuit was filed by The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which represents multiple civil rights and voting rights organizations.

It argued that the registration cutoff was premature, the AJC reported, and that the state residents should have been allowed to register for two more months.

Focus has been heavy on the race in recent months, with the top-two jungle primary vote-getters -- Democrat Jon Ossoff and Republican Karen Handel -- set to face off on June 20.

Ossoff came two points short of capturing the majority vote required to win the election outright.

Handel, who came second in the preliminary contest, now enjoys full GOP, support including the direct backing of President Trump and his administration.

Batten ruled that the voter registration for the final stage of the runoff election will be open until May 21.

[mcar]

1. Good news

We need it today.

[Gothmog]

2. This is great news for the runoff

[gratuitous]

3. GO!

Get out there and get people registered, Georgia Democrats. This race is winnable, and the odds will be increased with more citizens registered to vote, and more citizens going to the polls.

GO, GO, GO!

[wildeyed]

4. Damn right!

The law is clear. You can register for 30 days before and elections. Not 30 days before an election except of it's a runoff and we are terrified a guy we don't like might win if we let new voters participate.

GOP has not shame. This is blatant voter suppression. And the damage is already done because they are sowing confusion among voters who already don't pay close attention. They might think, Wow! I would like to vote for Ossoff! Then hear they can't register and not think of it again. We really need Voting Rights Act back at full strength so these a-holes can't pull this anymore. They abuse the system, every chance they get.

[Amaryllis]

5. Now if they would just address GA's paperless voting machine issues...

[LiberalArkie]

6. It used to be in Arkansas, maybe still is, that only the people who voted in the original election

could vote in the run off. Maybe that is why there was no reason to reopen the registration. If that is the rule in Georgia then all the people who register now and vote will not be counted any way.

[babylonsister]

7. Busted.

You didn't read it, did you.

Here's the background from the article.

Voter registration was closed on March 20, despite the runoff contest being scheduled for the end of June.

The lawsuit was filed by The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, which represents multiple civil rights and voting rights organizations.

It argued that the registration cutoff was premature, the AJC reported, and that the state residents should have been allowed to register for two more months.

[LiberalArkie]

11. What I was saying was that in Arkansas if you did not vote in the original election that you could

not vote in the runoff. I think you could register to vote after the original election, but you could not vote in a runoff if you did not vote in the original election.

[JudyM]

8. Kicking this good news.

[MineralMan]

9. It should be illegal to close voter registration at any time.

People should ALWAYS be able to register. People move to new addresses. People move into districts. People become 18 years old. Those things happen throughout the year. Registration should be possible at any time, and laws closing voter registration should be unconstitutional.

[oasis]

10. The tide is turning. Dem tsunami in 2018. nt