Rock the Vote Urges Florida Governor and Secretary of State to Extend Tuesday’s Voter Registration Deadline as Hurricane Matthew Evacuation Disrupts Election
As Hurricane Matthew ravages the Florida coast, forcing nonprofit groups and grassroots organizers to cancel planned voter registration drives and disrupting thousands of Florida residents’ ability to register before Tuesday, Rock the Vote has urged Florida Governor Rick Scott and Secretary of State Ken Detzner to extend the state’s voter registration deadline. Rock the Vote Vice President of Civic Engagement Jesse Moore issued the following statement:
“At this time, the primary concern of residents up and down the Florida coast should be safely evacuating areas impacted by Hurricane Matthew — not rushing to submit their voter registration forms. This urgent and critical request is anything but political. It is imperative that Florida’s elected officials extend Tuesday’s deadline in order to ensure the safety and security of Floridians who want to protect themselves and their families and exercise their constitutional right to vote in the 2016 general election.
“As the Miami Herald has already noted, and as Rock the Vote’s voter registration data confirms, there is regularly a spike in voter registration and engagement in the last days leading up to state deadlines — especially among young people, first time voters and low-income communities. It would be unconscionable to force Floridians to choose between their own safety and their ability to make their voices heard at the ballot box.
“We applaud South Carolina officials for extending the state’s deadline to account for the storm’s impact and urge elected officials in Florida to follow their lead.”
About Rock the Vote:
Rock the Vote is the largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization in the country driving the youth vote to the polls. Since 1990, Rock the Vote has fused pop culture, music, art and technology to fulfill its mission of building long-term youth political power. During the past six Presidential elections, Rock the Vote ran the largest voter registration drives for young people and has partnered with more than 25,000 partners through its online, multi-lingual voter registration tool. Rock the Vote is dedicated to mobilizing the vote, protecting voting rights and advocating for an electoral process and voting system that works for the Millennial generation, America’s largest and most diverse population in history. To get Rock the Vote updates on upcoming events, election reminders and candidate, visit RocktheVote.com. Engage on social media, by following Rock the Vote on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at @rockthevote.