] Florida's election supervisors, impressed by the success
] of early voting, proposed dramatic reforms Tuesday that
] would eliminate Election Day, replace it with an 11-day
] election season and do away with precincts.
]
]
] The association of the state's 67 chief elections
] officials voted in concept at its annual winter meeting
] in Orlando to informally present the idea to the
] Legislature and to start rallying support for what its
] members concede would be a sea change in how Floridians
] vote.
]
]
] ''I think the voters spoke loud and clear in the general
] election of 2004 that they want other options than to be
] limited to 12 hours on a Tuesday to vote," said Bill
] Cowles, Orange County supervisor of elections and
] president of the Florida State Association of Supervisors
] of Elections. "We should seize upon the opportunity in
] 2005 to make the changes so we can try it in 2006."

[ Mixed feelings on this. Extending the timeframe would seem likely to increase turnout, as it reduces the pressure on one day, diminishes lines, and so on. On the other hand, there would probably increased difficulty of getting certain groups (the poor and the elderly in particular) to polling places that would now be fewer and farther between, and also the centralization of ballots might promote a more dangerous environment for fraud.

I think these kinds of proposals deserve a lot of attention and discussion, because I think some changes are definitely needed.

I've always thought it made the most sense to simply make election day a national holiday. Voting is so undeniably critical to our way of life, it shouldn't have to be crammed in during lunch time. Volunteers would be far more acessible if they don't have to burn one of their precious 10 vacation days for the year. The fact that we already have 2 federal holidays in november is certainly a hurdle...

Ok, let the discussion begin... -k]

Election Reform in FL