Puerto Rico officials reject request to extend voter registration deadline

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Officials in Puerto Rico have rejected a petition to extend the voter registration deadline. This decision was reported late Monday. The island’s two main parties and the elections commission voted against the request. Residents have until Sept. 21 to register. Concerns arose over long lines and potential voter exclusion. John F. Rullán Schmidt, from Somos Más, warned they might sue to extend the deadline. Hundreds have waited in long lines to register. Vanessa Casillas, a voter, criticized the government and called for change. The American Civil Liberties Union noted power outages affecting registration centers. The electoral commissioner argued against extending the deadline due to logistical delays. Despite long lines, new registrations were lower than in 2020.