With opposition announced from members of both parties, a proposal to change the August primary date -- closer to the Republican National Convention in Tampa and the start of the school year -- has been postponed in the Senate.
Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, R-Miami, announced he would withdraw the bill, SB 1596, so he could address concerns about the one-week change in primary election date.
The change would have rescheduled the primary from Aug. 14 to Aug. 21, giving the state an extra week to get the legislative and congressional redistricting maps through court and federal reviews.
But members of the Senate Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections noted that some supervisors of elections have already entered contracts for polling locations for an Aug. 14 election.
Sen. Eleanor Sobel, D-Hollywood, said changing the date could create a fiasco for supervisors.
If we keep changing dates on them its costly and were undermining their role and duties, Sobel said.
Ron Labasky, representing the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, said 22 supervisors have objected to the change, most notably in Hillsborough County where preparations for the GOP convention will close portions of the downtown on Aug. 21.
Twenty-two is a pretty big number for me, said Sen. Steve Oelrich, R-Gainesville, in voicing his intent to vote against the change.
Sen. Chris Smith, D-Oakland Park, added that a new date could be difficult for supervisors who have already entered contracts to rent space for polling locations.
Meanwhile, eight supervisors were in favor and 31 indicated they could work with the new date.Six didnt respond, Labasky said.
Last year, legislators moved the election date from Aug. 28 to Aug. 14 in order to avoid conflicting with the convention.
Diaz de la Portilla said the change shouldnt be a hardship for supervisors as there are eight months until the primary. Meanwhile, the effort would give those intending to run for state and federal office an additional week to determine the boundaries for their district.
If you look at what were doing with redistricting, reapportionment, it makes sense, Diaz de la Portilla said.
By moving this years primary date from Aug. 14 to Aug. 21, the qualifying period for congressional and legislative seats could also be moved from the week of June 4 to the week of June 11.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
