Early Voting has Ended, Sort of
November 5th, 2012 by flanewsEarly voting ended in Florida Saturday, but people continue to cast ballots at elections offices throughout the state. As Whitney Ray tells us, in-person absentee voting sites opened today and Sunday in response to six hour waits during the early voting period.
At some voting sites in Miami Saturday people waited six hours to cast a ballot. In response to the long lines, Democrats suited to extend early voting and some elections supervisors opened up their offices for in-person absentee voting.
Monday morning word spread fast that the Leon County Courthouse was open for absentee voting.
“It was quick fast and easy,” said Nicole Hill.
“We went right in,” said Tammy Lucas.
Some voters were confused, they though they were casting an early ballot but in-person absentee voting is a little different. Instead of running the ballots through a voting machine, the votes are placed in envelopes.
There was also confusion about the 100 foot boundary for campaigning outside a polling site. Another difference between voting in-person absentee or voting early or on Election Day is our cameras are allowed inside while people are casting ballots.
Representative Alan Williams and other Democrats are promoting in-person absentee voting as a way around a new law cutting early voting from 14 days to eight.
“We want to make it easier and that is why we voted against House Bill 1355 because they had provisions in there that made it tougher for folks to vote,” said Williams.
Democrats filed legal challenges against the law but several federal judges found no problems with the changes.
So far more than 4.4 million Floridians have voted. During early voting 300 polling site were opened statewide. Tomorrow, on Election Day, 6-thousand sites will be opened from seven to seven.
Posted in State News | 1 Comment »