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Early Voting Change Marches Forward

April 26th, 2011 by Mike Vasilinda

A key Senate committee today approved legislation shortening early voting from 15 to just five days over the objection of the state’s elections supervisors. But pressure from voters may be leading to a compromise.

Early voting was created after the 2000 election debacle to make sure votes were being counted. By 2008, more people voted by absentee or early than on election day. But now, a massive elections bill moving through he legislature would shorten early voting from two weeks to just 5 days. GOP sponsor Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portillia of Miami

says the legislation is an effort to cut costs.

“Number one, overall throughout the years, it (early voting) hasn’t increased overall turnout.”

But state elections records show turnout is up five percent, from 70 to 75 percent  since the 2000 election.

Attempts to restore early voting to two weeks were shouted down in a key Senate committee.

But Senators are feeling pressure, with Sen. Don Gaetz of Niceville offering to come back with the same number of hours but fewer days of early voting.

“So to get the same number of hours, but you do it in a fewer number of days, would actually expand the number of hours per day and make it much more convenient for working families”.

Elections supervisors met with Senators after the vote, telling them they would like to keep the early voting just as it’s always been. Escambia Supervisor David Stafford says the is working the way it is.  “We’re trying to get as much opportunity, particularly in the general election cycle for people to early vote as possible,” says Stafford.

While some key Senators say they;’re willing to make changes later, There’s no guarantee they’ll happen. The next stop for the Voting bill is the Senate Floor.

The bill also would keep 50 thousand college students who changed their address at the polls in 2010 from voting in their college town. Student leaders were not given a chance to express their feelings to the committee before the vote was taken.


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