DeSantis Rejects Voter Registration Extension During Hurricane Milton Evacuations; Cannabis Companies Close Operations

Florida cannabis businesses began closing down in preparation for Hurricane Milton, which hit the state's west coast late Wednesday. Despite the storm’s looming threat, Governor Ron DeSantis refused to extend the Oct. 7 voter registration deadline, even as millions were forced to evacuate their homes. In addition to the Nov. 5 presidential elections, Floridians will vote on a cannabis legalization initiative known as Amendment 3.

"People can register today," DeSantis said Monday. "There's nothing inhibiting you from registering today. The storm has not hit yet."

This did not sit well with some voters and civil rights groups.

"The governor said that there was nothing inhibiting people from registering yesterday, while we had parts of the state under mandatory evacuation orders," Executive Director of Common Cause Florida Amy Keith told the Florida Phoenix. "We had folks desperately trying to board up their houses and, as I said, really trying to clear out the debris from Hurricane Helene so that it doesn't get picked up by the winds that are coming from Hurricane Milton."

DeSantis, by the way, has been vehement in his opposition to the cannabis legalization amendment.

Read Also: Hurricane Milton Closes Multiple Florida Airports, Over 3,000 Flights Canceled And Delayed: 10 Airline Stocks That Could Be Hit Hardest

Brad Ashwell, Florida state director with All Voting is Local, told the Florida Phoenix that by not extending the voter registration deadline, the state is excluding thousands of Floridians from the process.

"Many Florida voters are facing back-to-back hurricanes and the state could have done the bare minimum in suspending the deadline, as has been done in the past. This continues a disturbing trend of efforts from state officials to discourage and undermine voter registration efforts by community organizations," he said, according to the outlet.

Meanwhile, cannabis operators have taken steps to protect their businesses and employees, noted MJBiz Daily.

Chicago-based Cresco Labs CRLBF closed nine of its dispensaries and a cultivation facility to give staff time to prepare. Trulieve Cannabis Corp. TCNNF shut down 80 stores, closed another 26 early, and stopped deliveries from at least 20 locations. Ayr Wellness AYRWF closed 56 of its 66 stores and paused operations at its cultivation site. Similarly, Verano Holdings Corp. VRNOF shut down 37 Müv dispensaries by Wednesday, planning for 55 more closures by Thursday.

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