Florida Senate - 2009                                    SB 2204
       
       
       
       By Senator Siplin
       
       
       
       
       19-01131-09                                           20092204__
    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
    4         for branch offices to be used as early voting sites;
    5         authorizing the supervisor of elections to designate
    6         any facility open to the public as an early voting
    7         site; requiring that early voting commence on a
    8         specified day before a primary election and a
    9         specified day before a general election; requiring
   10         that early voting be provided for a minimum number of
   11         hours each day; authorizing the supervisor to allow
   12         early voting sites to remain open each day for as long
   13         as the supervisor deems necessary; providing an
   14         effective date.
   15  
   16  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
   17  
   18         Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (d) of subsection (1) of
   19  section 101.657, Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
   20         101.657 Early voting.—
   21         (1)(a) As a convenience to the voter, the supervisor of
   22  elections shall allow an elector to vote early in the main or
   23  branch office of the supervisor. The supervisor shall mark,
   24  code, indicate on, or otherwise track the voter's precinct for
   25  each early voted ballot. In order for a branch office to be used
   26  for early voting, it shall be a permanent facility of the
   27  supervisor and shall have been designated and used as such for
   28  at least 1 year prior to the election. The supervisor may also
   29  designate any city hall, or permanent public library facility,
   30  or any facility open to the public as early voting sites;
   31  however, if so designated, the sites must be geographically
   32  located so as to provide all voters in the county an equal
   33  opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as is practicable. The
   34  results or tabulation of votes cast during early voting may not
   35  be made before the close of the polls on election day. Results
   36  shall be reported by precinct.
   37         (d) Early voting shall begin on the 9th day before a
   38  primary election and on the 15th day before a general an
   39  election and end on the 2nd day before an election. For purposes
   40  of a special election held pursuant to s. 100.101, early voting
   41  shall begin on the 8th day before an election and end on the 2nd
   42  day before an election. Early voting shall be provided for at
   43  least 8 hours each day per weekday and 8 hours in the aggregate
   44  each weekend at each site during the applicable periods. The
   45  supervisor may allow early voting sites to remain open each day
   46  for as long as the supervisor deems necessary. Early voting
   47  sites shall open no sooner than 7 a.m. and close no later than 7
   48  p.m. on each applicable day.
   49         Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009.