Filed Date: Oct. 17, 2016
Closed Date: Nov. 1, 2016
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This case is about the plaintiffs not being able to submit voter registrations before the Georgia registration deadline to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election because the Governor of Georgia had issued an order for residents to submit to mandatory or voluntary evacuation due to the looming Hurricane Matthew.
On October 17, 2016, the original plaintiffs, who consisted of a resident of Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia and a nonprofit who regularly conducted voter registration drives in Glynn County filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia against the Governor of Georgia and the Georgia Secretary of State. The plaintiffs claimed that the State of Georgia failed to extend the October 11, 2016 voter registration deadline for participation in the November general election even though there were massive voter registrations complications caused by Hurricane Matthew and, as a result, the State of Georgia denied critical voter registration opportunities in violation of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The case was assigned to Judge William T. Moore, Jr.
On the same day that they filed the original complaint, the plaintiffs filed an emergency motion for temporary restraining order and order to show cause that sought a temporary restraining order requiring the defendants to accept delivery of voter registration applications and allow for online voter registration. In its emergency motion, the plaintiffs also sought to present thirty minutes of oral argument.
On October 18, 2016, the court issued an order granting the plaintiffs’ request for oral argument and stated it would conduct a hearing on the matter at hand on October 19, 2016. Subsequently on October 18, 2016, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint for injunctive and declaratory relief that added another private plaintiff resident of Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia and the Georgia NAACP.
On October 19, 2016, the court issued an order that denied plaintiffs’ emergency motion for temporary restraining order because injunctive relief was not warranted and the court did not agree that the voters were unduly burdened and did not have unattainable access to voter registration.
On October 24, 2016, counsel for plaintiffs filed a notice of voluntary dismissal without prejudice of the action against the defendants.
On November 1, 2016, the court issued an order granting the plaintiffs’ request to dismiss the action without prejudice and directed the Clerk of Court to close the case.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Leilani Argersinger (4/25/2024)
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4505780/parties/bethea-v-deal/
Moore, William Theodore (Georgia)
Burch, Kathleen M. (Georgia)
Anderson, Julia B. (Georgia)
Correia, Cristina Maria (Georgia)
Heidt, Josiah Benjamin (Georgia)
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4505780/bethea-v-deal/
Last updated Aug. 8, 2025, 7:26 a.m.
State / Territory: Georgia
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Oct. 17, 2016
Closing Date: Nov. 1, 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiffs J'Mari Bethea and Joshua Lattimore are both residents of Brunswick, Glynn County, Georgia and both were unable to register to vote timely because of Governor Deal's mandatory evacuation order. Plaintiff Georgia State Conference of the NAACP is a nonprofit whose mission is to eliminate racial discrimination through democratic processes and ensure the equal political, educational, social, and economic rights of all persons, in particular African Americans. Plaintiff WickFORCE regularly conducts voter registration drives in Glynn County and was planning to hold a voter registration drive on October 8, 2016.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Non-profit NON-religious organization
Attorney Organizations:
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Voting Rights Act, section 2, 52 U.S.C. § 10301 (previously 42 U.S.C. § 1973)
Constitutional Clause(s):
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Defendant
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Content of Injunction:
Issues
Voting: