| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to early voting; amending s. 101.657, |
| 3 | F.S.; providing additional facilities that may be |
| 4 | designated as an early voting site; revising the date that |
| 5 | early voting shall begin for a primary election; reducing |
| 6 | the time for early voting in a primary election; providing |
| 7 | an effective date. |
| 8 |
|
| 9 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
|
| 11 | Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of |
| 12 | section 101.657, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 13 | 101.657 Early voting.- |
| 14 | (1)(a) As a convenience to the voter, the supervisor of |
| 15 | elections shall allow an elector to vote early in the main or |
| 16 | branch office of the supervisor. The supervisor shall mark, |
| 17 | code, indicate on, or otherwise track the voter's precinct for |
| 18 | each early voted ballot. In order for a branch office to be used |
| 19 | for early voting, it shall be a permanent facility of the |
| 20 | supervisor and shall have been designated and used as such for |
| 21 | at least 1 year prior to the election. The supervisor may also |
| 22 | designate as an early voting site any city hall or permanent |
| 23 | public library facility, civic center, convention center, |
| 24 | conference center, fairgrounds, or other location designated by |
| 25 | the supervisor as meeting the requirements of this section, if |
| 26 | the supervisor determines the site is sufficient to meet the |
| 27 | needs of the voters in that county. as early voting sites; |
| 28 | However, if so designated, the sites must be geographically |
| 29 | located so as to provide all voters in the county an equal |
| 30 | opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is practicable. The |
| 31 | results or tabulation of votes cast during early voting may not |
| 32 | be made before the close of the polls on election day. Results |
| 33 | shall be reported by precinct. |
| 34 | (d) Early voting shall begin on the 15th day before a |
| 35 | general an election and on the 8th day before a primary election |
| 36 | and end on the 2nd day before the an election. For purposes of a |
| 37 | special election held pursuant to s. 100.101, early voting shall |
| 38 | begin on the 8th day before an election and end on the 2nd day |
| 39 | before an election. Early voting shall be provided for 8 hours |
| 40 | per weekday and 8 hours in the aggregate each weekend at each |
| 41 | site during the applicable periods. Early voting sites shall |
| 42 | open no sooner than 7 a.m. and close no later than 7 p.m. on |
| 43 | each applicable day. |
| 44 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |