Florida legislators could have a little more time to defend against expected challenges to the once-a-decade redrawing of the congressional and legislative maps.
But the proposed change hasn't been embraced by the majority of the state's supervisors of elections.
The Senate Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections on Wednesday agreed to move forward with a bill, SJB 7042, that would shorten by a week the required 12-week window between the primary and the general election.
The move would also shift the state and federal qualifying date from the week of June 4 to the week of June 11.
I think this makes ... sense in light of redistricting and the fact that there are no lines and people havent decided where they live and where they can run, said Committee Vice Chairwoman Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice.
The proposal has received a lukewarm response from Floridas supervisors of elections.
Ron Labasky, representing the Florida State Association of Supervisors of Elections, said a survey of supervisors found that only seven of the 67 county supervisors supported the move.
Another 22 were opposed and 38 voiced no opinion or didnt respond.
Those opposed did so because they were already moving forward with plans to set up space and resources needed for the currently scheduled Aug. 14 date, Labasky said.
He expressed a desire that the bill could be approved early in the recently started 60-day legislative session.
Usually, the election bills are the last ones out the door, Labasky said. All those people who have to replan, all those people who have to make new plans, get new contracts, get new locations ... that extra month or six weeks would certainly be a tremendous help.
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.
The move also pushes the primary to the week before the GOPs convention in Tampa.
Labasky noted that Hillsborough County could face some logistical problems because much of the downtown area will be shut down for security reasons that could affect polling locations.
Last year, legislators moved the election date from Aug. 28 to Aug. 14 in order to avoid conflicting with the convention.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
