Florida may Ease up /Absentee Rules/ GOP now worried!

[bluedog]

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/04/03/State/State_may_ease_up_on_.shtml








State may ease up on absentee ballot rules
Thousands of absentee votes are thrown out each year for lacking the signature of a witness. Legislation is in the works to change that rule.
By STEVE BOUSQUET, Times Staff Writer
Published April 3, 2004

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TALLAHASSEE - Even after all the notoriety over Florida's uncounted ballots in the 2000 debacle, the state continues to throw out votes, including thousands in last month's presidential primary.

They were absentee ballots that lacked the signature of a witness as state law requires.

"We are rejecting way, way too many absentees that are otherwise valid, because of the witness requirement," said Pasco County Elections Supervisor Kurt Browning. "We're in the business of counting ballots. We want to count them."

Pasco tossed out 147 ballots in the March 9 presidential primary because those voters did not comply with the witness requirements. Hillsborough rejected 114 and Pinellas 79. Miami-Dade rejected 495 ballots, more than any other county, according to a survey by the Division of Elections.

Statewide, the survey found 2,047 absentee ballots were never counted because of the lack of a witness. Ten counties did not answer the survey, including two of the state's largest, Broward and Palm Beach.

State law requires absentee voters to have the ballot envelope witnessed by an adult. The witness must be 18 or older and provide an address.

Sen. Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, and Rep. Roger Wishner, D-Sunrise, are sponsoring bills to eliminate the witness requirement.
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I live here and I think that the republicans are afraid their votes will get thrown out.this law has never to my knowledge been brought up before........even with the trouble we had here in 2000...think they are sweating it!!!!

[freetobegay]

1. I disagree with you, I live in Florida also

This law would do nothing, but help the Repukes. Most of the absentee ballots in Florida are from Repukes.

On a side note they control the Executive & Legislative branches, why would they pass a law to help Democrats?

[bluedog]

2. isn't that what I said?

it'll help them? They didn't care about the thousands of votes cast out before.now they are worried that bushs votes will be tossed.

[freetobegay]

3. Going by your headline

"Florida may Ease up /Absentee Rules/ GOP now worried!" If Florida eases up on Absetee ballots, why would the GOP worry? They would be happy as pigs in shit.

[bluedog]

7. geeze

worried that their votes may be cast out! and Kerry may win.......

[Bombtrack]

5. They would pass it because it was reccomended

by a statewide elections task force, which by-law have to be non-partisan.

I'd like to see a link about your charge that "Most of the absentee ballots in Florida are from Repukes". The article, if you bother to read it pretty much spells out the fact that it's mostly the elderly and infirm, who according to all recent polls are the group least pro-Bush, most anti-Bush.

[freetobegay]

8. Thus is a military State

I have lived here all my life. Anybody that knows anything About Florida Politics knows The mojority of absentee ballots are Repukes.

And since when have Repukes ever done anything on a non partisan issue "which by law have to be non-partisan" yea right.

If we followed the law Gore would be President right now. Nuff said.

[nodictators]

4. This is great news for FL comatose nursing home patients

Now they ALL will be able to get their votes in for Bush.

And those Repub operatives won't have to spend all that time in the back rooms at the county elections offices as they did in 2000.

[Bombtrack]

6. The main objection came from a republican.

Did you read the article?

[freetobegay]

9. Smoke & mirrors

Some people will never learn.

[Cuban_Liberal]

10. Doesn't seem like a particularly onerous requirement, to me...

I mean, how hard is it to get your signature witnessed? I smell fraud in the offing....

[ButterflyBlood]

11. that doesn't seem like much of an anti-fraud measure though

anyone can claim to be a witness.

[Cuban_Liberal]

13. True, as well.

I live in IL, and the voter's signature is the only one required; still, it doesn't seem like a horribly burdensome thing to require... :shrug:

[w4rma]

12. Republicans appear to be very pro-voter fraud, imho. (nt)