Last week, Florida Governor Charlie Crist expressed doubt about extending Early Voting hours in Florida, despite widespread reports of long lines.
Today, he issued an Executive Order requiring extending the hours for early voting during the current General Election. Effective immediately, early voting sites will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., through Friday, October 31, 2008, and for a total of 12 hours between 7:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 1, and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2008.
Miami Herald story
Florida Sun-Sentinel Blog Entry
Here's the executive order:
STATE OF FLORIDA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
EXECUTIVE ORDER NUMBER 08-217
WHEREAS, early voting is scheduled to end November 2, 2008; and
WHEREAS, early voting turnout has already reached record levels and is forecast to continue with record turnout. There are only 267 early voting sites throughout the state and long lines have formed at many of the early voting sites; and
WHEREAS, a historic number of Floridians have registered to vote for the first time in this election; and
WHEREAS, new voting equipment is being used in 15 Florida counties;
WHEREAS, as a result of this unique combination of circumstances resulting from the historic voter turnout in this election, there is a possibility that election officials will be unable to conduct an orderly election, and thus residents in our state could be deprived of a meaningful opportunity to vote; and
WHEREAS, because of the existing and continuing possibility of an emergency occurring before or during the regularly scheduled election, and in order to ensure maximum citizen participation in the electoral process, and provide a safe and orderly procedure for persons seeking to exercise their right to vote;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, CHARLIE CRIST, as Governor of Florida, by virtue of the authority vested in me by Article IV, Section 1(a) of the Florida Constitution, by the Florida Elections Emergency Act, and by all other applicable laws, issue the following Executive Order, to take immediate effect:
I hereby declare that, based on the above-described conditions, a state of emergency exists. It is hereby found and declared to be necessary to extend the voting hours during early voting. Accordingly, I order the Supervisors of Elections to open early voting sites from 7 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. through October 31, 2008 and open early voting sites for a total of twelve (12) hours between 7 a.m. November 1, 2008 and 7 p.m. November 2, 2008.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed, at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 28th day of October, 2008.
CNN: One million votes already in Florida, with long lines
CNN: Video on Florida Early voting
In Florida, more than 1 million people have voted at early voting centers throughout the state, the Florida Department of State said Monday.
Jennifer Krell Davis, communication director for the department, predicted that roughly an equal number of Florida voters would vote by absentee ballot.
Krell Davis estimated that nearly a quarter of the state's 10 million registered voters would vote either in person early or by absentee ballot.
UPDATE 1:
Here's a link that gives Miami-Dade waiting times, precinct to precinct
Miami-Dade Wait Times 1-4 Hours
UPDATE 2:
First time up on the Rec List. Cool!
I didn't put a Tip Jar in because this diary was no great piece by me, just some quick collation of the story as it broke. I do appreciate everyone taking the time to read it, this is important stuff for voters in my home state.
UPDATE 3:
Republicans in Florida aren't very happy about Crist's decision, according to Ben Smith at Politico.com:
"He just blew Florida for John McCain," one plugged in Florida Republican just told me.