Reported by Troy Kinsey
TALLAHASSEE -- Thanks to early voting, Floridians don’t need to head to the crowded polls on Election Day to cast their ballot.
Now, some lawmakers want the program expanded, but they could be in for a tough fight.
In 2008, thousands of early voters had to wait up to four hours before they could fulfill their civic duty. Lauren Walz and her mother, Dicque, said that’s proof the system is broken.
“A lot of people work. A lot of people don’t have time to go wait in line for 5 hours,” they said. “I know that if I was faced with that, I wouldn’t. I’d try to mail it or something, but I wouldn’t stand in line for that long to vote.”
The lines got so long, Gov. Charlie Crist extended early voting hours, saying his heart went out to those people who waited so long to vote.
Now, Democrats in Tallahassee have written bills to make the longer hours permanent.
By law, the polls can only be kept open for 8 hours every weekday, and a total of 8 hours on the weekend.
The new bills, however, would let county election officials go all the way to 12 hours every day.
Ben Wilcox, with the Florida League of Women Voters, called the extension overdue, especially in the state’s larger counties.
“We’ve taken a one size fits all approach, and that’s why we need to change and give supervisors more flexibility,” Wilcox said.
The days of hanging chads and butterfly ballots are long gone, but controversy over Florida’s election process continues. Even early voting has its critics.
In 2008, nearly 60 percent more Democrats turned out to vote early than Republicans.
The GOP worried extending the hours could give Democrats an even bigger advantage. That theory could doom the bills -- unless voters speak out, that is.
“It should be fair, People shouldn’t have to struggle to vote,” said Lauren and Dicque Walz.
The issue may not be on the ballot, but it has everything to do with the will of the people.
Since Republicans control both houses in the state Legislature, the bills would not even get a hearing unless GOP leaders sign off on it.
Florida’s two-month annual legislative session begins in March.
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