The League of Women Voters of Florida has sent the following letter to Governor Rick Scott, urging him to accommodate the needs of early voters by extending the early-voting period until Sunday, November 4.
Governor Rick Scott
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
Dear Governor Scott:
As you are aware, Floridians are continuing to turn out in record numbers to take advantage of the opportunity to vote early in this important general election. This phenomenon, resulting from an increase in the number of registered voters since 2008, reductions in the number of days available to early vote and the unprecedented length of this year’s ballot, have resulted in long lines and extended wait times in many counties. The Miami Herald, for example, has reported voters standing in line up to six hours, and the Palm Beach Post notes that voters are waiting as much as two hours to cast ballots at the county’s 14 early voting locations. Similar news is coming from across the state.
The League of Women Voters of Florida, which is dedicated to protecting the right of all citizens to vote, is extremely concerned that such long waits are discouraging to voters whose schedules and/or physical conditions cannot accommodate these types of delays.
In light of this problem, the League is asking you to extend early voting hours to include Sunday, November 4, for counties with high voter traffic. Our goal is to ensure that the voting process is timely, accessible and convenient for every eligible voter who wants to cast a ballot.
As you are aware, when faced with heavy early voting traffic in 2008, former Governor Charlie Crist protected the rights of Florida’s voters by augmenting early voting hours. We urge you to exercise your leadership as governor and extend early voting hours to allow all eligible Florida citizens to exercise their constitutionally guaranteed right to participate in this election.
We encourage you to support freedom and help the voters of Florida by extending the early voting period.