Two groups that sign people up to vote have filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court to extend the voting registration deadline to no earlier than Oct. 27 for this year only. The attorney for Mi Familia Vota and the Arizona Coalition For Change says the pandemic and subsequent emergency orders put in by Gov. Doug Ducey have put a "severe burden'' on the right to register voters.
“This is a statewide issue in the exceptional circumstances created by the pandemic where voter registration has just been incredibly challenging for the organizers on the ground,” attorney Zoe Salzman said.
She also says that according to the Secretary of State's Office's own data, there’s been a 65% drop in voter registration in the state compared to the 2016 presidential election.
Salzman points out that Arizona has one of the stricter deadlines in the country as many states allow same day registration as voting.
Secretary of State Katie Hobbs has not commented on the lawsuit but opponents are concerned that pushing the deadline would interfere with the election as early voting starts Oct. 7.
