A dramatic shift in Floridas elections laws could be in the cards as the Legislature passed a bill Thursday that looks to clamp down on voter fraud.
The measure passed along largely partisan lines in both chambers, with Democrats bemoaning the bill as a blatant attack on their voter base --namely, college students and young voters.
"Under the guise of ensuring the integrity of the election process we have another bill that puts up barriers to the election process in this state," said Senate Minority Leader Nan Rich, D-Weston.
One of the bills sponsors, Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, said the bill, which prevents voters from changing their address at the polling place the day of an election, is merely intended to protect against shenanigans at the precincts.
I dont think that benefits Republicans or Democrats, whoever they are, I think that benefits voters, Diaz de la Portilla said Wednesday.
The bill includes other changes that Democrats say targets them, like:
- Reducing the period of early voting from 14 days to eight days. A provision was added to allow county supervisors of elections to open polls during early voting for 12 hours each day, for a total of 96 hours, which is the current amount of early voting time available. Democrats voted in greater numbers in early voting periods in the previous two presidential elections in 2008 and 2004.
- It also shortens the amount of time available for citizens to gather petitions to place a constitutional amendment before voters from four years to two years. Nearly 700,000 signatures are currently needed to put a measure on the ballot, and the numerically-disadvantaged Democrats in the Legislature often rely on citizen-driven amendments to get their agenda into law.
- Third-party voter registration groups must submit applications they gather within 48 hours, and they will incur penalties and fines for providing false information.
- It sets up a committee to determine the date of the 2012 presidential preference primary andreducing the amount of days for early voting which has passed the Florida Senate. Opponents of the measure say it could threaten the number of Florida delegates counted at the 2012 Republican National Convention, since the national party has said it will punish Florida if it holds its primary earlier than their preferred schedule, which legislative leaders would like to do.
Sen. Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, said properly registering and heading to the polls at the right time are not difficult hurdles to climb in order to vote.
How much more convenient do you want to make it? Do you want to bring the polling booth into peoples homes? he said. I want them to at least know the date when theyre supposed to go vote. I want them to know where theyre supposed to vote. This is not about disenfranchising voters, this is about making sure your vote counts."
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
