For minorities, voting may become one of their least favorite past times if the Florida Legislature has anything to do with it.
SB 2086 will not allow persons who have changed their addresses to update that information at the polling place. Another provision within the bill will not allow anyone with a recently changed name to cast a ballot as well.
So in essence, if you’re a student, just married, or you rent, chances are Republicans don’t think you’ll vote for them.
Gary Siplin, a Democratic Senator who has an office on North Pine Hills Road, voted No for the bill that looks to narrow voting opportunities for Floridians.
Last month the Pine Hills representative gave a Yeah vote to the Senate’s budget that will gut over $1 billion dollars from education and cut money from Florida’s medically needy program. So maybe Siplin is looking for a little redemption.
Siplin was unavailable for comment before this story was published.
While I wouldn’t necessarily jump for joy over Siplin’s no vote, he still stood up for voters on the west side of Orlando.
The same cannot be said for Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner, a Republican, who voted Yeah to strip Florida residents of their ability to early vote.
Gardiner and his GOP colleagues believe that this bill will curtail voter fraud in the state.
Could be just me and my vivid imagination but, I can’t recall any recent voter fraud in the state of Florida. In fact, last year’s mid-term elections were some of the smoothest in recent memory. I mean, maybe not for Democrats but, I didn’t hear Republicans crying foul then, did you?
This bill will also cut the early voting period down to just 7 days instead of 15 days, where it currently stands.
This bill may not set off an alarm for some but, it should at least make you pay attention to what’s going on in the state’s capitol.
Democrats and left leaning political organizations will probably lose some sleep over this bill as a huge portion of their votes come from minorities, students, and from early voting. But that’s not the reason you shouldn’t like it.
The intent behind this trashy legislation is to hurt and hinder so many of the, ahem, poor and less fortunate who go out to cast their ballots for mostly Democratic candidates.
Not saying that Democrats always have minorities’ best interest at heart but, when last I checked Republicans’ control the Florida state House and Senate, not Democrats.
I hope you enjoy long voting lines and red tape because, come 2012 it will be that much harder to cast your voting ballot in Florida.
-JH
