Fla. Gov. Scott says he won’t sign an election bill that discourages voting
The Miami Herald [caught up with Gov. Rick Scott](i’m not going to sign a bill that i believe discourages people from voting read more: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2011/05/rick-scott-still-going-over-elections-bill.html#ixzz1Ml8O3Y7a), who was in South Florida for a hurricane conference. Asked about a controversial rewrite of the state’s election laws, he said basically the same thing he’s been saying for the past several days: he doesn’t want fraud, but he does want people to vote. #
He elaborated a bit: #
“„I’m not going to sign a bill that I believe discourages people from voting. I want people to vote. I know what it’s like to run for office, and it’s important that people vote. We all took civics class in ninth grade and part of it is this is a great country. We get to vote and we get to take our positions and I want people to vote. #
Scott has until Saturday to act on the bill. In recent weeks, his office has been slammed with calls to veto the measure*. *Democratic representatives have asked the Justice Department to determine whether some provisions violate the Voting Rights Act. The Florida League of Women Voters has said that the bill’s restrictions on voter registration drives would force it to shut down its efforts to sign up new voters. The bill’s critics argue it would do exactly what Scott says he doesn’t want. In the next few days, we’ll find out whether he sees it that way. #