Free stamps=bribe?
February 22, 2008
The Orlando Sentinel reports that one of the political parties mailed stamps to voters and told them to use the stamps to return their absentee ballot for the Florida House District 32 contest. The question is whether that crosses the line and constitutes a bribe under Fla. Stat. 104.061 or is of such nominal value that it does not cause a problem.
Proposed bills for Election law changes
February 21, 2008
The Senate Committee on Ethics and Elections held a workshop on Wednesday to review several proposed election law changes. As covered in the Sun Sentinel, notable among these is a proposal to bar local governments from spending public money to run advertisements concerning an upcoming referendum. The bill is online at the Senate site and the workshop agenda packet is also available.
Opinion issued on canvassing boards and computer room access
February 20, 2008
On January 28th, the State’s Division of Elections issued an opinion concerning public access to the ballot tabulating room. In short, the Division opined that canvassing boards could limit public access to the computer room used to tabulate votes as long as representatives of political parties are able to be in the tabulation room. The division added that if the canvassing board was conducting its work in a room that the public could not enter, either due to size or security, the canvassing board should “transmit the audio” from its work room to a place the public could listen in. The opinion is 08-01.
Dual disqualifications in West Palm Beach
February 20, 2008
Both candidates for the District 3 City Commission race in West Palm Beach have been deemed disqualified because of election law errors. The challenger was disqualified for paying her filing fees with a personal check, while the incumbent had the wrong signature on her campaign account designation form. A special election is now likely, more in the Palm Beach Post.
Crawford v. Marion County Election Board
February 20, 2008
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Oyez.com provides a link to the online docket at the Supreme Court and usually has the Court’s argument audio file upon release.