Democrats' Lawsuit Buys Florida at Least One More Voter Registration Day

U.S. District Court Judge Mark Walker on Monday sided with Democrats who filed an 11th hour lawsuit to extend voter registration in Florida because of Hurricane Matthew. But it was only a temporary victory: Registration was due to end Tuesday; Walker extended it through Wednesday -- with the possibility of extending it a few days further on Wednesday.

The Florida Democratic Party filed a lawsuit in federal court Sunday against Gov. Rick Scott and Secretary of State Ken Detzner, his top election official. The party -- backed by a number of left-leaning groups -- asked the court to extend the voter registration deadline in Florida for an extra week because the Thursday-Friday hurricane had disrupted so many lives.

"It has been suggested that the issue of extending the voter registration deadline is about politics,” Walker wrote in his order. "Poppycock. This case is about the right of aspiring eligible voters to register and to have their votes counted. Nothing could be more fundamental to our democracy." Read the full text of Judge Walker's order in the attachment below.

Walker has already scheduled a hearing for 10 a.m. Wednesday in Tallahassee to consider the further extension.