| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to early voting sites; amending s. |
| 3 | 101.657, F.S.; permitting the supervisor of elections to |
| 4 | designate additional early voting sites; providing an |
| 5 | effective date. |
| 6 |
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| 7 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Section 1. Subsection (1) of section 101.657, Florida |
| 10 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 11 | 101.657 Early voting.-- |
| 12 | (1)(a) As a convenience to the voter, the supervisor of |
| 13 | elections shall allow an elector to vote early in the main or |
| 14 | branch office of the supervisor. The supervisor shall mark, |
| 15 | code, indicate on, or otherwise track the voter's precinct for |
| 16 | each early voted ballot. In order for a branch office to be used |
| 17 | for early voting, it shall be a permanent facility of the |
| 18 | supervisor and shall have been designated and used as such for |
| 19 | at least 1 year prior to the election. The supervisor may also |
| 20 | designate any city hall or other permanent public library |
| 21 | facility as early voting sites; however, if so designated, the |
| 22 | sites must be geographically located so as to provide all voters |
| 23 | in the county an equal opportunity to cast a ballot, insofar as |
| 24 | is practicable. The results or tabulation of votes cast during |
| 25 | early voting may not be made before the close of the polls on |
| 26 | election day. Results shall be reported by precinct. |
| 27 | (b) The supervisor shall designate each early voting site |
| 28 | by no later than the 30th day prior to an election and shall |
| 29 | designate an early voting area, as defined in s. 97.021, at each |
| 30 | early voting site. |
| 31 | (c) All early voting sites in a county shall be open on |
| 32 | the same days for the same amount of time and shall allow any |
| 33 | person in line at the closing of an early voting site to vote. |
| 34 | (d) Early voting shall begin on the 15th day before an |
| 35 | election and end on the 2nd day before an election. For purposes |
| 36 | of a special election held pursuant to s. 100.101, early voting |
| 37 | shall begin on the 8th day before an election and end on the 2nd |
| 38 | day before an election. Early voting shall be provided for 8 |
| 39 | hours per weekday and 8 hours in the aggregate each weekend at |
| 40 | each site during the applicable periods. Early voting sites |
| 41 | shall open no sooner than 7 a.m. and close no later than 7 p.m. |
| 42 | on each applicable day. |
| 43 | (e) Notwithstanding the requirements of s. 100.3605, |
| 44 | municipalities may provide early voting in municipal elections |
| 45 | that are not held in conjunction with county or state elections. |
| 46 | If a municipality provides early voting, it may designate as |
| 47 | many sites as necessary and shall conduct its activities in |
| 48 | accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (a)-(c). The |
| 49 | supervisor is not required to conduct early voting if it is |
| 50 | provided pursuant to this subsection. |
| 51 | (f) Notwithstanding the requirements of s. 189.405, |
| 52 | special districts may provide early voting in any district |
| 53 | election not held in conjunction with county or state elections. |
| 54 | If a special district provides early voting, it may designate as |
| 55 | many sites as necessary and shall conduct its activities in |
| 56 | accordance with the provisions of paragraphs (a)-(c). The |
| 57 | supervisor is not required to conduct early voting if it is |
| 58 | provided pursuant to this subsection. |
| 59 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. |