Judge: Voters can register until 30 days before fed election

ATLANTA – A federal judge says Georgia cannot close voter registration for any federal election, including runoff contests, more than 30 days before the election.

The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law had filed a lawsuit in April challenging the state’s registration deadline for voters wishing to participate in a June 20 special election runoff for an open U.S. House seat.

State election officials argued a runoff is a continuation of an initial election under Georgia law and that the registration deadline should, therefore, be 30 days before the initial election rather than 30 days before the runoff.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten in May ordered the registration deadline extended to 30 days before the June runoff election. The consent decree filed Tuesday applies that to all federal elections and runoffs.