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Voting rights activists and the state were ready to square off Monday morning in a two week federal trial when an 11th hour settlement was reached.

Both sides are happy.

The lawsuit originally filed in March, sought to lengthen the time mail ballots could be counted.

It wanted the state to pay for return postage and to provide drop boxes where mail ballots could be returned.

“Frankly, there was a recognition somewhat by the plaintiffs that a lot of what they were asking for we are already doing,” said Mark Earley, Vice President of the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections.

Under the settlement, supervisors will be encouraged to use of all of the available early voting days, have drop off boxes at polling places and work with the postal service to get mail ballots back in time to be counted.

The state will be sending invitations to every eligible nonvoter to register.

“That is huge, because as you know, the Department of Motor Vehicles has been closed. Supervisors of Elections have been closed,” said Gilda Daniels with the Advancement Project.

By law, there must be at least eight days of early voting, but up to 14 are allowed.

Using all 14 also allows mail ballots to start being counted sooner.

“That is a very very important thing, because the vote by mail tabulation begins is keyed off when you start early voting,” said Earley.

What the voting groups did not get was their request to allow mail ballots to be counted for up to a week after an election.

“In any settlement you don’t get everything that you want,” said Daniels.

Just one issue remains outstanding.

That’s whether blind and deaf voters will be able to cast their ballots remotely.

But supervisors said it is already too late to implement newly approved software in what is already a challenging election year.

Monday was also the last day to register to vote for the August 18th primary.

Most supervisors said they will stay open later to accommodate voters.

You can also register to vote online up until midnight.