<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>In a rare show of bipartisanship both the Republican and Democratic parties came out swinging at the State Supreme Court Tuesday morning.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>They want the high court to block a proposed constitutional amendment from the 2020 ballot that would allow all voters to vote in primary elections.<\/div>\n<div>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-56088 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000002-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000002-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000002-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000002-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000002.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000004-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000004-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000004-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000004-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000004.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000003-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000003-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000003-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000003-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000003.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>Currently in Florida, only voters who currently belong to a political party can vote in a primary election and only in the races for\u00a0their respective party.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>But if approved by voters, the proposed constitutional amendment would force Republicans and Democrats to compete in a single primary open to all voters.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The top two candidates would then face off in the general election.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\u201cIt would force a moderation of behavior. Right now you see bad behavior on both sides on the extremes. Pandering to the base, throwing out the red meat,\u201d said\u00a0Glenn Burhans,\u00a0Chair of All Voters Vote.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<div>Florida has become more moderate over the past few years.<\/div>\n<div>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-2 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-2' class='gallery galleryid-56088 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000006-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000006-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000006-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000006-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000006.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000010\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000010-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000010-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000010-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000010.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000008-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000008-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000008-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000008-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000008.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>Currently, just shy of 28 percent of Floridians do not belong to either the Democratic or Republican party.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div>Both Republicans and Democrats oppose the amendment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\u201c9.7 million registered voters in Florida who have chosen a party affiliation would lose their ability by direct vote to choose their party nominee,\u201d said Rob McNeely, an attorney representing the Florida Democratic Party.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>But Justices seemed unconvinced.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\u201cAll candidates go on the primary ballot and the two highest vote getters advance to the general election. Again I cannot follow your reasoning of how that disenfranchises anybody,\u201d said Chief Justice Charles T. Canady.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>One area the justices did express concerns over is the fact that the amendment leaves room for the Legislature to\u00a0potentially\u00a0create a third election that could still be closed off to other voters and give\u00a0parties\u00a0an opportunity to nominate a candidate.<\/div>\n<div>\n\n\t\t<style type=\"text\/css\">\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 {\n\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\twidth: 33%;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 img {\n\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t#gallery-3 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\/* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes\/media.php *\/\n\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='gallery-3' class='gallery galleryid-56088 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000012\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000012-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000012-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000012-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000012.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote00000011\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000011-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000011-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000011-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote00000011.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/all-voters-vote-2\/'><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote-200x113.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/all-voters-vote.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl><br style=\"clear: both\" \/>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n<div>McNeely said voters reading the amendment wouldn’t understand that potential.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\u201cNo it’s not clear. It’s confusing and therefore it shouldn’t be allowed on the ballot,\u201d said McNeely.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>If approved by the court, voters will have the final say in November.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>The amendment sponsor anticipates it will take at least 6 million yes votes to reach the 60 percent threshold for approval.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a rare show of bipartisanship both the Republican and Democratic parties came out swinging at the State Supreme Court Tuesday morning. They want the high court to block a proposed constitutional amendment from the 2020 ballot that would allow all voters to vote in primary elections. Currently in Florida, only voters who currently belong […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56088"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/132"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56088"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56088\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56104,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56088\/revisions\/56104"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56088"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56088"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flanews.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56088"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}