Voting issues in Florida being addressed in report

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The state senator who first suggested shortening early voting from 14 to seven days now wants to add one additional day, bringing the total to eight.

There are new watch words in Tallahassee when it comes to elections: "One size does not fit all when it comes to elections."

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Secretary of State Ken Detzner is several weeks away from a final report on what went wrong in five counties on Election Day. Long lines and delays in counting absentee and provisional ballots kept Florida a late night talk show joke for days.

Now, Detzner says the state is nearing consensus on needed changes.

"We're going to address specific issues about locations, flexibility in locations and perhaps looking at length of time; maybe even expanding the number of days that early voting occurs in Florida," Detzner said.

State Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, who originated the shortened early voting, has filed a bill adding just one more day -- the Sunday before Election Day. Leon Elections Supervisor Ion Sancho says the eighth day is a step in the right direction.

"Adding one day is not a solution, but adding one day is an indication they realized they made a huge mistake, because Florida Legislature generally does not reverse itself unless it is caught with its trousers down, so to speak," Sancho said.

Ten supervisors will be at the state Capitol next week to tell the lawmakers their version of what went wrong and what went right.

Supervisors from St. Lucie, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Lee counties, which were all signaled out for problems on Election Day will testify. Six other problem free counties will also tell their stories.

The 10 Supervisors called to Tallahassee are Martin County, Bay County, Duval County, Escambia County, Lee County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County, Pasco County, St. Lucie County and Seminole County.