
With the deadline extension, an estimated additional 65,000 Arizonans would register to vote.
An appeals court ruled Thursday that Arizona’s voter registration deadline extension can remain in place.
The original deadline was Oct. 5. That night, a judge extended the deadline to Oct. 23, the same day by which early ballots must be requested.
However, the new date isn’t necessarily here for good. The court’s decision not to put a hold on the extension came down to who was part of the lawsuit challenging it.
The appeals court said it would review the Republican National Committee and National Republican Senatorial Committee‘s request once Arizona joins the lawsuit, as called for by Attorney General Mark Brnovich.
On Monday, a district judge ruled the pandemic has undermined the integrity of the election by preventing a portion of the population from registering to vote and concluded that extending the deadline would let the voices of those people be heard.
MORE: The Copper Courier’s Guide to Voting in Arizona in 2020
Two advocacy groups seeking to register voters had asked the court to extend the deadline, saying its registration numbers plummeted because of the COVID-19 restrictions, though those figures have returned to almost the same level as before the pandemic.
Political organizers largely suspended in-person operations in March as the coronavirus began spreading in larger numbers. Republicans have resumed many in-person voter education and outreach efforts while many Democratic groups are still organizing exclusively through digital means.
If the extension were to remain in place and registrations stayed at their current rate, it’s estimated an additional 65,000 people would register to vote.
As of August, Arizona had nearly 4 million registered voters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Support Our Cause
Thank you for taking the time to read our work. Before you go, we hope you'll consider supporting our values-driven journalism, which has always strived to make clear what's really at stake for Arizonans and our future.
Since day one, our goal here at The Copper Courier has always been to empower people across the state with fact-based news and information. We believe that when people are armed with knowledge about what's happening in their local, state, and federal governments—including who is working on their behalf and who is actively trying to block efforts aimed at improving the daily lives of Arizona families—they will be inspired to become civically engaged.


He said what? 10 things to know about RFK Jr.
The Kennedy family has long been considered “Democratic royalty.” But Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.—son of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated while...

Here’s everything you need to know about this month’s Mercury retrograde
Does everything in your life feel a little more chaotic than usual? Or do you feel like misunderstandings are cropping up more frequently than they...

Arizona expects to be back at the center of election attacks. Its officials are going on offense
Republican Richer and Democrat Fontes are taking more aggressive steps than ever to rebuild trust with voters, knock down disinformation, and...

George Santos’ former treasurer running attack ads in Arizona with Dem-sounding PAC name
An unregistered, Republican-run political action committee from Texas with a deceptively Democratic name and ties to disgraced US Rep. George Santos...