Judge rules 1,900 teens cannot be added to voter rolls
South Carolina Circuit Court Judge Daniel Coble ruled against the ACLU Friday in its request for a temporary restraining order to give some 1,900 teenagers the chance to register to vote after the state's registration deadline.
The ACLU of South Carolina sued the DMV and State Election Commission after the DMV failed to offer 17-year-olds obtaining a driver's license and who would turn 18 before Election Day the chance to register to vote at the DMV, a provision entitled by the Voting Rights Act.
Judge Coble wrote "relief sought by Plaintiff is too drastic" and, this near to Election Day, "would create disorder in the voting system," according to the ruling.
Coble denied the ACLU's motion but did not dismiss the case. A spokesman for the ACLU of South Carolina told ABC it has not made a decision on whether to appeal his ruling.
"We are still seeking permanent relief from the SCDMV’s unlawful exclusion of 17-year-olds from the National Voting Rights Act 'Motor Voter' provision," ACLU-SC spokesperson Paul Bowers said in a statement to ABC.
-ABC News' Christopher Boccia