‘Florida has done it again’: Judge denies motion to extend voter registration

Lucas Saez, left, 22, turns in his voter registration form to temporary worker Loren Quiroz, right, as his father Ramiro Saez, center, looks on, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020, at the Miami-Dade County Elections Department in Doral, Fla. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis extended the state’s voter registration deadline after heavy traffic crashed the state’s online system and potentially prevented thousands of enrolling to cast ballots in next month’s presidential election. Saez attempted to register to vote six times the night before. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

A US federal judge has denied a motion to extend voter registration in Florida even though a computer meltdown on the final day of registration might have prevented thousands from taking part in November’s presidential election.

In a 29-page ruling on Friday morning, US District Court Judge Mark E Walker said his decision was “an incredibly close call” but added: “The state’s interest in preventing chaos in its already precarious — and perennially chaotic — election outweighs the substantial burden imposed on the right to vote.”