The controversy over the elections bill passed by the Florida Legislature and signed by Governor Rick Scott earlier this year is only getting stronger, as the Reverend Jesse Jackson came to Tampa on Tuesday afternoon to promote voter registration and denounce the legislation.
HB 1355 shortens the number of early voting days, makes it harder for third party registration groups to sign up new voters, and will deny people who moved out of their previous county from voting on a regular ballot. Democrats have blasted the bill, claiming those provisions (which advocates say are necessary to prevent voter fraud) are singling out their own voters in the crucial 2012 presidential election. And the Florida ACLU has filed a lawsuit against it.
Speaking at the 34th Street of God in East Tampa (where former Hillsborough County Commissioner and Tampa City Council member Thomas Scott preaches each Sunday), Jackson spoke in front of a group of local Democrats (including Alex Sink, state Senator Arthenia Joyner and other state and local lawmakers) and other supporters.
This article appears in Jul 21-27, 2011.