USA

Florida Extends Voter Registration

Campaign Florida residents stand in line to register to vote in November elections, in Miami, Oct. 11, 2016.

A federal judge has extended the deadline for Florida residents to register to vote by a week, following Hurricane Matthew.

Judge Mark Walker granted a request by the Florida Democratic Party for a temporary injunction that moved the state’s voter registration deadline from October 11 to October 18, after having previously moved it back by one day.

Democrats had asked Florida governor Rick Scott to extend the deadline, but he declined, saying residents had enough time to register, despite the hurricane's brush with his state.

Though the hurricane did not make landfall in Florida, it caused at least nine deaths and left nearly a million people without power.

Voters are registering for national elections November 8.