Florida’s early, in-person voting period will almost certainly shrink this fall. Prior to 2011, when the Republican Legislature altered state voting laws, county election officials were required to allow early voting for a minimum 14 days, which totaled 96 hours, including limited weekend hours.

Beginning this year counties have the option of matching those 96 hours, but the Legislature lowered the minimum requirement to eight days. The law, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Baxley, a Republican from Ocala, Fla., also eliminated voting on the Sunday before the election. African-American churches traditionally reserved that day for “Souls to the Polls” campaigns.

In his first interview since the end of litigation over the law, Baxley said that eliminating the Sunday hours was all about timing.
“It seems like we had too tight a squeeze there (before Tuesday),” he said. “You had to count the early votes and be all set up in the counties for a general election in two days.”

His rationale does not sit well with Rodney Long, a retired Democratic politician in northern Florida’s Alachua County.

“If you tell me that there’s a problem with that Sunday, there should be some evidence. There’s 67 people in Florida who could provide it. (Lawmakers) did not receive any testimony from the 67 county officials about Sunday processing. Everyone’s voting electronically – no more chads, no delays,” Long said.

Long’s Gainesville-based group, the African American Accountability Alliance, will work with church and political leaders to mobilize early voting for alternative days, he said.

By Ethan Magoc, News21