The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights conducted a field hearing in Tampa today on Florida’s 2011 election law changes. The Subcommittee’s webpage has the printed witness testimony (links on the right side of the subcommittee page). The Tampa Bay Times and Bay News 9 (video) provide local...
With the Presidential Preference Primary on January 31st (plus many local elections on the same ballot) – the State has posted a list of all early voting sites and hours.
The Senate Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights has announced a field hearing entitled “New State Voting Laws II: Protecting the Right to Vote in the Sunshine State” to be held Friday, January 27th at 1pm at the Hillsborough County George E. Edgecomb Courthouse, 800 E. Twiggs Street, Tampa,...
Florida is a “Closed Primary” state, meaning only voters who are registered members of the political party holding a primary election can vote in that primary election. Some cities, counties, and special districts, however, are also using the Presidential Preference Primary date to conduct other elections, such as referendums and other ballot measures. For...
The League of Women Voters of Florida, the Florida Public Interest Research Group, and Rock the Vote have filed a federal lawsuit challenging the State’s changes to the State’s voter registration process through HB1355. The section specifically challenged is Section 4 of the bill (Laws of Florida, 2011-40 – see page 9 of this PDF). ...
Following up on my story from last month, the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Rights will hold a hearing on recent changes to Florida and other states’ voting laws in Tampa on January 27, 2012, according to a press release issued by Senator Bill Nelson. Here are reports from the Palm Beach Post...
The Palm Beach Post and Miami Herald are reporting that former state senator Nancy Argenziano has filed a lawsuit challenging as unconsitutional a portion of HB1355 that prevents a candidate from switching political parties less than 365 days before qualifying to run for office. Here is what HB1355 requires that candidates attest to: “That...
In a letter this week, posted online by the Tampa Tribune, Sen. Dick Durbin responded to Sen. Bill Nelson’s request that the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Human Rights investigate HB1355 by agreeing with Nelson’s concerns and stating he will conduct a field hearing in Florida. No date for the...
Two updates this week related to past stories on this blog. As explained in the Palm Beach Post, the ACLU and League of Woman Voters challenge to the implementation of HB1355 was dismissed as moot and for a lack of standing and ripeness. The District Court found that most of the law had been precleared...
A surprising development in the preclearance saga of HB1355, the State has filed a First Amended Complaint seeking to have the court declare the preclearance obligation in Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. To recap my past posts on this topic: under the Federal Voting Rights Act, the State of Florida has to...