Fast-tracked elections bill draws fire

An elections bill introduced by Republicans that could make it more difficult for thousands of Floridians to vote was condemned Monday by public interest groups and legislative Democrats who decried the measure as "draconian" and "unconscionable."

Democrats were further angered by how the House version zipped through its first committee stop on Friday, only hours after it was written and without any public scrutiny.

"I look at it as group of folks who do not want to accept the fact that a Democratic president won the election in Florida," said Rep. Audrey Gibson, D-Jacksonville. "That is the bottom line. Get over it. Get over it."

President Barack Obama was the first Democrat in 32 years to carry a majority of the state's vote in November when he captured Florida's 27 electoral votes.

"It's not fair to punish people because you lost," Gibson said.

Senior citizens would be affected by a provision that would no longer recognize retirement center or neighborhood association photo IDs at the polls.

Another component of the bill offered by state Sen. Alex Diaz de la Portilla would criminalize the presence of any person within 100 feet of voters lined up outside polling sites, including nonpartisan volunteers available on Election Day to inform voters of their rights.

It also would let legislative leaders create "leadership funds" that could accept donations from lobbyists.

Diaz de la Portilla said his bill (SB 956) is necessary to crack down on voter fraud. "We have to make sure that every vote is protected," the Miami Republican said. "Every time that you allow an illegal vote, you're disenfranchising legal votes."

The AARP, American Civil Liberties Union of Florida and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People were among several groups opposing the legislation at a news conference Monday. The proposal would require a driver's license, passport or state identification card in order to vote.

They called on Gov. Charlie Crist, House Speaker Larry Cretul of Ocala and Senate President Jeff Atwater of North Palm Beach - all Republicans - to stop the measure, which has attracted criticism nationally.

"The bill should be called the anti-voting act," said Sen. Arthenia Joyner, D-Tampa.

Crist has been an advocate of making it easier for Floridians to access voting polls and was criticized by fellow Republicans when he did so during the 2008 election cycle.

"We are monitoring the elections bill very closely," Sterling Ivey, Crist's press secretary, said Monday. "Changes may be made to the current bill before it is presented to the governor."

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, a Democrat, immediately sent a note to Crist asking him to wave off lawmakers or promise a veto on the legislation.

"Unbelievably, there are some in the Florida Legislature who cannot leave well enough alone," Nelson said, adding that the proposed change "could disenfranchise untold numbers of Florida voters in subsequent elections without justification ... and undo all of the progress in reforming elections that has been made in our state."

With nine days left in a session where lawmakers have pared the state's budget by several billion dollars, there are more bills remaining than there is time for them to be heard. Much more time will be spent on the budget because the chambers are far from a compromise.

"Our state faces the most dramatic budget crisis in recent memory, and lawmakers are fast-tracking a bill loaded with costs that will discourage voter participation?" said Brad Ashwell, spokesman for Florida Public Interest Research Group.

The Republican-led Legislature has made several attempts in recent years to change Florida's elections laws.