ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has issued an executive order extending the voter registration deadline in four southwest Georgia counties hit by Hurricane Michael.
Deal announced on Monday that the deadline for registering to participate in the Nov. 6 midterm election would be extended to Oct. 16 for residents of Clay, Grady, Randolph, and Turner counties.
His office said that election offices in those counties were forced to close early on the day of the original deadline, Oct. 9, due to the Category 4 hurricane approaching from the Gulf of Mexico.
Deal had declared a state of emergency at 8:45 a.m. on Oct. 9 for most of central and south Georgia ahead of the storm.
Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who is in charge of voter registration and elections in the state, applauded the decision by Deal.