Bill Text: FL H0921 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Early Voting

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-05-07 - Indefinitely postponed and withdrawn from consideration [H0921 Detail]

Download: Florida-2011-H0921-Introduced.html

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HB 921

1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to early voting; amending s. 101.657,
3	F.S.; expanding the list of available sites at which early
4	voting may be held to include specified facilities or any
5	other location designated by a supervisor of elections as
6	meeting the requirements of state law; deleting a
7	requirement that an early voting site be designated and
8	used as such for at least 1 year before an election;
9	providing requirements for determining the number of early
10	voting sites each county must operate; expanding early
11	voting hours to 12 hours per weekday and 12 hours in the
12	aggregate each weekend at each site during the applicable
13	periods; providing an effective date.
14
15	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
16
17	Section 1.  Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of
18	section 101.657, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
19	101.657  Early voting.-
20	(1)(a)  As a convenience to the voter, the supervisor of
21	elections shall allow an elector to vote early in the main or
22	branch office of the supervisor and may allow such early voting
23	in any city hall, public library facility, courthouse, place of
24	worship, civic center, convention center, community center,
25	county government center, conference center, community college
26	facility, university or college, fairgrounds, or any other
27	location designated by the supervisor as meeting the
28	requirements of this section. The supervisor shall mark, code,
29	indicate on, or otherwise track the voter's precinct for each
30	early voted ballot. In order for a branch office to be used for
31	early voting, it shall be a permanent facility of the supervisor
32	and shall have been designated and used as such for at least 1
33	year prior to the election. The supervisor may also designate
34	any city hall or permanent public library facility as Early
35	voting sites; however, if so designated, the sites must be
36	geographically located so as to provide all voters in the county
37	an equal opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is
38	practicable. Each county shall operate the same total number of
39	early voting sites that it used for the 2008 general election,
40	or one early voting site plus one additional early voting site
41	for every complete set of 65,000 registered voters in the county
42	as of July 1 of each general election year, whichever is
43	greater. The results or tabulation of votes cast during early
44	voting may not be made before the close of the polls on election
45	day. Results shall be reported by precinct.
46	(d)  Early voting shall begin on the 15th day before an
47	election and end on the 2nd day before an election. For purposes
48	of a special election held pursuant to s. 100.101, early voting
49	shall begin on the 8th day before an election and end on the 2nd
50	day before an election. Early voting shall be provided for 12 8
51	hours per weekday and 12 8 hours in the aggregate each weekend
52	at each site during the applicable periods. Early voting sites
53	shall open no sooner than 7 a.m. and close no later than 7 p.m.
54	on each applicable day.
55	Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.

CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.