Submitted by Abel Harding on April 22, 2011 - 5:31am
Florida Morning
By Abel Harding (@abelharding, abel.harding@jacksonville.com)
GOP PUSHES MASSIVE ELECTION REWRITE THROUGH - "Florida lawmakers passed a dramatic overhaul of state election law Thursday night, a move that GOP legislators say will bring integrity to the process and one that Democrats counter will disenfranchise voters across the state. The measure, a major rewrite to the laws that govern the state's elections, passed 79-37. Among other things, the measure (HB 1355) would limit voters' ability to change their address at the polls, change third-party voter registration rules and make it more difficult for citizen groups to put amendments on the ballot. …Democrats blasted the measure, calling it an assault on voters' rights. In particular, they said it would severely limit the likelihood that the votes of college students or military personnel be counted. Under current law, a voter could change his or her address at the polling place, making it easy for college students who initially register at their parents' address but then choose to vote in the district where they attend school. The bill approved Thursday would only allow for an address change if it is within the same county, which would exclude most college students." South Florida Sun-Sentinel: http://bit.ly/gyCIIF
