On the first day of the Legislative session, activist groups from across the state gathered in Florida’s biggest cities calling for electoral reform in the wake of the state’s latest embarrassment at the polls.
“Awake the State” groups met in 22 cities, including Tampa’s Lykes Gaslight Park where an estimated 150 people spoke out for election reform. The rally came just hours after the House voted 118-1 to approve a measure that would rescind much of the controversial 2011 elections bill. Included are increasing early voting days from eight to 14; increasing the number of eligible sites for early-voting; and limiting the ballot summaries on constitutional amendments proposed by the Legislature to 75 words, the same cap faced by citizen initiatives.
Joyce Hamilton Henry with the ACLU told the crowd that the Senate needs to further expand the franchise.
“We also want to see that we allow electronic online voting. We need to go to the 21st century in voting, we want to be able to have same day voter registration,” she said.
This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 6, 2013.
