yeartolate
My toaster can pop more toast per hour than your t
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2000
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The person who said this is only described as a "well connected Republican". It was in response to Florida Governor Charlie Crist (Republican) allowing polls for early voters to stay open an extra four hours.
So did Govenor Crist blow Florida for McCain?Was the move to extend hours the right thing to do?
http://news.aol.com/story?id=n20081028175609990007
Fla. polls open later after Crist changes mind
By BILL KACZOR,AP
Posted: 2008-10-28 17:56:03
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Swayed by record turnout, Gov. Charlie Crist changed his mind and signed an executive order Tuesday that immediately extended early voting hours in Florida, a likely swing state in the presidential election.
Crist had said earlier in the day that he didn't think the law allowed him to add hours. But he said he reconsidered after consulting with his lawyers and political leaders of both parties.
"This is not a political decision," Crist, a Republican, said at a hastily called news conference. "It's a people decision."
Crist said he was justified in adding hours regardless of what the law says because of long lines at polls and new voting machines in some counties are causing delays.
His order keeps voting sites open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, four hours longer than state law specifies. It also requires that they be open 12 hours this weekend, also four hours longer than the law says.
Local election officials will decide how to divide the weekend hours in each county. Early voting ends at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Before deciding, the governor said he had consulted with Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber, Secretary of State Curt Browning and had spoken earlier with GOP legislators but not on Tuesday.
"It was the right thing to do," said Gelber of Miami Beach. "I believe the governor properly exercised his authority to address this situation."
Florida is again key this presidential election season, with 27 electoral votes - 10 percent of the 270 needed to clinch the election. The state's disputed election in 2000 gave the presidency to George W. Bush, and he captured the state in 2004. This year, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are locked in a close race.
McCain, for whom Crist has campaigned, has frequently stopped in the state and Obama makes another trip Wednesday. Their running mates also are hitting the state hard.
Florida's Democratic members of Congress sent Crist a letter last week urging him to extend hours and they took credit for changing his mind.
"Florida Democrats have made it a priority to make it easier for people to vote," U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, said in a statement after the order was signed. "I'm ecstatic that our efforts have paid off."
Former Gov. Jeb Bush set a precedent in Florida by adding two hours of voting in the 2002 primary, Crist said. Bush did it because voting machines had failed at some polling places in Florida's largest two counties, Miami-Dade and Broward.
This season, a Florida Democratic Party breakdown shows Democrats have cast 45 percent of 2.3 million early and absentee ballots through midday Tuesday compared with 40 percent for Republicans. The total is about 20 percent of all 11.2 million registered voters.
Florida Republican Party spokesman Katherine Gordon said the GOP is not releasing its numbers. She predicted victory, but acknowledged, "Republicans are outspent, out-staffed, out-registered, and out-advertised in Florida."
The Secretary of State asked Crist to extend hours in a letter about a half-hour before the news conference.
Browning wrote that long lines were caused because the 267 sites and hours they are open are inadequate and because 15 counties are using optical scan voting machines for the first time in a general election.
The scanners, which use paper ballots, replaced touch screen machines that were outlawed by the Legislature because they leave no paper trail for potential recounts.
"Although these systems are performing well, it appears that voters are taking some time to get accustomed to using this new equipment," Browning wrote.
So did Govenor Crist blow Florida for McCain?Was the move to extend hours the right thing to do?
http://news.aol.com/story?id=n20081028175609990007
Fla. polls open later after Crist changes mind
By BILL KACZOR,AP
Posted: 2008-10-28 17:56:03
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Swayed by record turnout, Gov. Charlie Crist changed his mind and signed an executive order Tuesday that immediately extended early voting hours in Florida, a likely swing state in the presidential election.
Crist had said earlier in the day that he didn't think the law allowed him to add hours. But he said he reconsidered after consulting with his lawyers and political leaders of both parties.
"This is not a political decision," Crist, a Republican, said at a hastily called news conference. "It's a people decision."
Crist said he was justified in adding hours regardless of what the law says because of long lines at polls and new voting machines in some counties are causing delays.
His order keeps voting sites open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, four hours longer than state law specifies. It also requires that they be open 12 hours this weekend, also four hours longer than the law says.
Local election officials will decide how to divide the weekend hours in each county. Early voting ends at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Before deciding, the governor said he had consulted with Florida House Democratic Leader Dan Gelber, Secretary of State Curt Browning and had spoken earlier with GOP legislators but not on Tuesday.
"It was the right thing to do," said Gelber of Miami Beach. "I believe the governor properly exercised his authority to address this situation."
Florida is again key this presidential election season, with 27 electoral votes - 10 percent of the 270 needed to clinch the election. The state's disputed election in 2000 gave the presidency to George W. Bush, and he captured the state in 2004. This year, Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are locked in a close race.
McCain, for whom Crist has campaigned, has frequently stopped in the state and Obama makes another trip Wednesday. Their running mates also are hitting the state hard.
Florida's Democratic members of Congress sent Crist a letter last week urging him to extend hours and they took credit for changing his mind.
"Florida Democrats have made it a priority to make it easier for people to vote," U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Miramar, said in a statement after the order was signed. "I'm ecstatic that our efforts have paid off."
Former Gov. Jeb Bush set a precedent in Florida by adding two hours of voting in the 2002 primary, Crist said. Bush did it because voting machines had failed at some polling places in Florida's largest two counties, Miami-Dade and Broward.
This season, a Florida Democratic Party breakdown shows Democrats have cast 45 percent of 2.3 million early and absentee ballots through midday Tuesday compared with 40 percent for Republicans. The total is about 20 percent of all 11.2 million registered voters.
Florida Republican Party spokesman Katherine Gordon said the GOP is not releasing its numbers. She predicted victory, but acknowledged, "Republicans are outspent, out-staffed, out-registered, and out-advertised in Florida."
The Secretary of State asked Crist to extend hours in a letter about a half-hour before the news conference.
Browning wrote that long lines were caused because the 267 sites and hours they are open are inadequate and because 15 counties are using optical scan voting machines for the first time in a general election.
The scanners, which use paper ballots, replaced touch screen machines that were outlawed by the Legislature because they leave no paper trail for potential recounts.
"Although these systems are performing well, it appears that voters are taking some time to get accustomed to using this new equipment," Browning wrote.
