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American Morning
Florida Legislature Moves Toward Election Law Reform
Aired May 04, 2001 - 11:09 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Now we go ahead and move south where a move to reform election laws in Florida is moving through the state legislature. The bill has passed the Senate. It is now headed for the House.
Among other things, the measure would do away with hanging chads and butterfly ballots, those things we remember all too well from the contested presidential election in Florida. Let's bring in our election law analyst David Cardwell, joining us from Orlando with more on the reform measure -- David, good morning. It's good to see you.
DAVID CARDWELL, CNN ELECTION LAW ANALYST: Glad to be back with you.
KAGAN: Not a done deal. But it does sound like some progress in your home state of Florida.
CARDWELL: Hopefully by the end of today when the legislature adjourns, the House will have passed the bill the Senate passed earlier today, which would be a very broad election reform package that would address many of the problems that we had last November and December with the presidential election.
KAGAN: Let's talk about some of the progress here. First of all, one standard, one way to vote, clear across Florida.
CARDWELL: That's true. The legislature is now saying that there will be a uniform standard. They're putting it into the election code. So it will no longer be a standard that's established in each of the 67 counties.
KAGAN: The problem with this, though, is that people have been saying from the beginning this costs money. Where is that money going to come from, David?
CARDWELL: Well, the legislature is appropriating $32 million to fund this package. Most of it, $24 million, is going toward optical scanner machines that will be in each precinct in the state. The counties will get money from the state that they will have to match with local funds. So it's coming out of state general revenues. There's no additional tax being levied to fund this. But it is sort of a one-time package.
They are also funding money for voter education. They're also putting money into updating the statewide database of voters so we can avoid the problems we had with people not being on the rolls or being dropped accidentally.
KAGAN: Interesting as well, looking ahead that if there's a problem like another close election, this measure saying there would be in a case like they had in November, there would be a hand recount. And gives standards for that hand recount.
CARDWELL: Well, the hand recount would only take place if there was a problem with the equipment. And they're hoping by going to optical scanners, we can avoid that.
It really does reduce the discretion of the local canvassing boards on hand recounts and puts much more reliance on the equipment. At the same time, it's also upgrading the equipment to being the most reliable system right now on the market.
KAGAN: Certain things are not in there. From the beginning, some folks were talking about they would like to see the voting rights of felons, convicted felons, restored. And that wouldn't happen under this measure, would it?
CARDWELL: That's correct. There were separate bills that would have made it easier for felons to get their voting rights back. One would have required a constitutional amendment. Those bills did not pass this session. But I'm sure they'll be back next time.
KAGAN: Any other of the suggestions that we've heard along the way that you think should be in there that are not?
CARDWELL: Well, I think it's addressed the major problems. There were some others that I would have liked to have seen that would have perhaps solved some of the problems at the local level with voting. But I think they've addressed the problems with the equipment. They've addressed the standard.
They also are addressing some of the problems with absentee ballots. They're also saying now that the state canvassing commission has the oversight responsibility for statewide elections. So they really addressed the major issues. And I think they've done a very good job in a highly charged political and somewhat emotional environment to get this package through.
KAGAN: Some cynics out there didn't think that they would even get this far. Are you impressed?
CARDWELL: I'm impressed.
KAGAN: Are you impressed? I was one of those cynics. Just a few weeks ago I was saying it wasn't going to happen. But the legislature sometimes waits until the last day to act. And that's what they're doing this time.
KAGAN: Very good. David Cardwell, always good to see you.
CARDWELL: Good seeing you again. KAGAN: Great.
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