The Latest: Judge questions Arizona’s voter signup deadline

PHOENIX (AP) - The Latest on a lawsuit seeking an extra day of voter registration in Arizona (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

A federal judge has sharply questioned Arizona’s election director about his decision to place the last day of voter registration on a holiday instead of extending the deadline by a day.

U.S. District Judge Steven Logan questioned Eric Spencer during a hearing Friday on a lawsuit filed by the state Democratic Party over the Columbus Day deadline to register for the November 8 general election. Logan asked whether it was sensible to expect average people to be able to register on a day with no mail service and limited access to government offices.

Spencer told Logan that he believes state law didn’t permit him to move the date to the next day. Doing so also would have created more problems by cutting the time between close of registration and when early ballots are mailed.

The Democratic Party wants Logan to order the state to place people who registered the next working day on the active voter rolls. They say it’s needed because there was no mail service on Oct. 10 and state motor vehicle division offices were closed.

About 40 percent of all Arizonans register either by mail or at the MVD.

Logan issued no decision after Friday’s lengthy hearing. He has given lawyers for both sides until next Tuesday to provide additional legal briefing.

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11:20 a.m.

A federal judge is set to hear arguments on a lawsuit filed by the Arizona Democratic Party that seeks to extend the state’s voter registration deadline by a day.

U.S. District Judge Steven Logan will hear from the Democrats and the state Friday afternoon. The party is suing Secretary of State Michele Reagan for refusing to extend the Oct. 10 voter registration deadline even though it fell on a state and federal holiday.

They seek an order requiring Reagan to place anyone who filed an otherwise valid registration by Oct. 11 on the voter rolls for November’s election.

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is defending Reagan and says the Democrats should have sued the counties, sued too late and aren’t likely to prevail in the case.