| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to early voting; amending s. 101.657, |
| 3 | F.S.; deleting requirements that must be met in order for |
| 4 | branch offices to be used as early voting sites; |
| 5 | authorizing the supervisor of elections to designate any |
| 6 | facility open to the public as an early voting site; |
| 7 | requiring that early voting commence on a specified day |
| 8 | before a primary election and a specified day before a |
| 9 | general election; requiring that early voting be provided |
| 10 | for a minimum number of hours each day; authorizing the |
| 11 | supervisor to allow early voting sites to remain open each |
| 12 | day for as long as the supervisor deems necessary; |
| 13 | providing an effective date. |
| 14 |
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| 15 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 16 |
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| 17 | Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of |
| 18 | section 101.657, Florida Statutes, are amended to read: |
| 19 | 101.657 Early voting.-- |
| 20 | (1)(a) As a convenience to the voter, the supervisor of |
| 21 | elections shall allow an elector to vote early in the main or |
| 22 | branch office of the supervisor. The supervisor shall mark, |
| 23 | code, indicate on, or otherwise track the voter's precinct for |
| 24 | each early voted ballot. In order for a branch office to be used |
| 25 | for early voting, it shall be a permanent facility of the |
| 26 | supervisor and shall have been designated and used as such for |
| 27 | at least 1 year prior to the election. The supervisor may also |
| 28 | designate any city hall, or permanent public library facility, |
| 29 | or any facility open to the public as early voting sites; |
| 30 | however, if so designated, the sites must be geographically |
| 31 | located so as to provide all voters in the county an equal |
| 32 | opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is practicable. The |
| 33 | results or tabulation of votes cast during early voting may not |
| 34 | be made before the close of the polls on election day. Results |
| 35 | shall be reported by precinct. |
| 36 | (d) Early voting shall begin on the 9th day before a |
| 37 | primary election and on the 15th day before a general an |
| 38 | election and end on the 2nd day before an election. For purposes |
| 39 | of a special election held pursuant to s. 100.101, early voting |
| 40 | shall begin on the 8th day before an election and end on the 2nd |
| 41 | day before an election. Early voting shall be provided for at |
| 42 | least 8 hours each day per weekday and 8 hours in the aggregate |
| 43 | each weekend at each site during the applicable periods. The |
| 44 | supervisor may allow early voting sites to remain open each day |
| 45 | for as long as the supervisor deems necessary. Early voting |
| 46 | sites shall open no sooner than 7 a.m. and close no later than 7 |
| 47 | p.m. on each applicable day. |
| 48 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |