Virginia will extend its voter-registration deadline to make up for lost time after the state’s entire system crashed due to a cable being accidentally cut earlier this week. Would-be voters were sent into a panic Tuesday when a fiber-optic cable was accidentally severed, shutting down the state’s online voter-registration system for hours on the last day people were able to register before Election Day. Voter advocates filed a lawsuit in federal court demanding an extension to the deadline, arguing that thousands of people missed out because of the disruption. On Wednesday, their request was granted. U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney ruled the deadline will be extended by 48 hours—it will now end at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15. Gibney said the website shutdown had caused “a tremendous harm” to people who couldn’t register, so he felt he had to take action.
