Florida Restores Early Voting Days, Moves Back Primary.

[elleng]

Source: nyt/reuters

Still smarting from jokes about Florida's inability to run statewide elections, Florida lawmakers approved a package of revisions on Friday to give voters more time and locations to cast their ballots.

"We all took a lot of flak for elections last year," said Senator Jack Latvala, a Republican who chairs the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee. "We were the butt of jokes on late night TV."

Senate Minority Leader Chris Smith, a Democrat, said the package was an improvement over restrictions imposed in 2011, when the number of days polls were open for voting prior to November's Election Day was drastically reduced, but he said there was still a long way to go.

"This is only a start," he said. "We had a tremendous opportunity to do great things with this bill, but we stopped well short of the goal posts."



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2013/05/03/us/politics/03reuters-usa-florida-voting.html?hp

[FarPoint]

1. It makes me wonder....

Why? What are the GOP really up to now?

[calimary]

2. Yeah, I know what you mean, FarPoint. From what are they trying to distract us?

'Cause they're not doing it because it's the good and just and proper thing to do. (Note - I did NOT say "right thing to do" - because these bastards have even perverted the very word "right.&quot

And it's just really a shame that their behavior over the past several decades leads more than a few of us to suspect something. The MINUTE they step into the room, you start smelling a rat.

[FarPoint]

6. Absolutely

Well said.

[southernyankeebelle]

16. I'm beginning to think maybe they restore voting days then people of color won't come

and vote. See the opposite of whatever they want you to do. They never can do anything that is honest and right. They will always do the opposite. They want the country to fail so they can ride on the white horse and save their asses.

[BlueCaliDem]

3. Mid-terms traditionally low voter turnout - even for Republicans.

They want to ensure that as many Republicans {many are disenchanted with the Republican Party} will have the time to change their mind and cast their vote in 2014, hoping that Democrats will prove to stay true to tradition and stay home again.

That's what this is about.

[FarPoint]

4. Makes sense.

They ALWAYS have a self- serving goal.

[freshwest]

5. +1 both of you.

[BlueCaliDem]

7. Thanks, Freshwest.

I rarely get a compliment for my posts so it's always nice to receive one.

[okaawhatever]

14. I think it had more to do with fear of a lawsuit. They clearly disenfranchised voters. They probably

made the minimum changes they thought would keep the feds off their backs. I'm sure they'll try something else, but until the heat gets off of them we won't hear about it. That state is a hot tea party mess.

[freshwest]

8. I know...

Don't be fooled.

[Iliyah]

9. Isn't Scott what for re-election in 2014?

Just saying.

[Rest In Peace Repubs]

10. One more way...

these gerrymandering Bastards need to be stopped.Like Creetizens United/Lobbyists need to be stopped in this country.I'm sure Washington,Jefferson,Lincoln,Roosevelt all said to themselves...Now how can I "FIX" this election.

[24601]

11. Did you read the article? This wasn't about redistricting but about authorizing county election

supervisors to increase early voting times. It also aligns the presidential primary dates to comply with dates required by the national parties - so the state delegations don't get penalized.

And if you oppose this bill because you oppose expansion of early voting, you need to reconsider where you are posting.

[24601]

17. Follow-up after reading this morning's Tampa Bay Times which reports that the Governor is expected

to sign the bill into law. Florida's Senate passed it 27-13 (party line vote) and the House 115-1. Here are the bill's highlights:

- Mandates at least 8 days of early voting (at least 8 hours per day). Elections Officials (Elected County officers here in Florida) have the option to expand up to 14 days and up to 12 hors per day.

- Expands early voting locations to allow inclusion of fairgrounds, stadiums, courthouses, convention centers, and government-owned senior centers. It allows for voting on the Sunday before Election Day — known as "Souls to the Polls," (load up the bus after the sermon) which is not currently legal.

- People who submit an absentee ballot without the envelope signature get a 2nd chance to add it.

- Makes it tougher to anonymously request an absentee ballot and have it sent to n address not associated with the voter.

- Requires an an affidavit when requesting an absentee for a family member.

- Moves the Presidential Primary date to comply with national party rules. This provision may not get much attention outside the state; however without this change Florida's NRC delegation wold have 12 delegates instead of the population-based 99. DNC penalties are harsher because (as happened in 2012) Florida would have no 2016 Democratic National Convention delegates.

On this last issue, I'd support allocating primary date based on merit rather than just letting Iowa and New Hampshire be entitled to go first every four years. States should earn their the percentage (high score wins) of registered voters that participated in the previous general election. I'd also be OK with regional primaries whose dates are determined by an aggregation of their region's election turnout.

I'm not saying that the current arrangement is illegal, but today's state by state race to be relevant is just bad policy.

This bill isn't perfect (for example, it doesn't make me Florida's Governor for life and Scott can't sent it back to be fixed since the legislative session adjourned); but, it's good. What I find disappointing is that our Senate Democrats were willing to flush all the provisions because it gave decision-making authority to County Elections Supervisors rather than mandate it for every county. There's no doubt that our heavily-democratic counties will take advantage of every prerogative. If the majority Republican counties don't, BFD as it just hurts them. So I'm just a little pissed that they would have rather had a campaign issue than reform - and it's potentially going to backfire since now they are on record opposing the law expanding voting hours.

[SoapBox]

12. Uhhhhh....

"We all took a lot of flak for elections last year," said Senator Jack Latvala, a Republican who chairs the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee. "We were the butt of jokes on late night TV."

No Shit Doofus!

But I agree with the others...what are they up to?

[No Vested Interest]

13. As long as Florida is "restoring"

they should consider restoring voting privileges to felons who have served their time.