Florida May Drop Primary Runoff in 2004
Tue Jun 3, 4:48 PM ET
URL:http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=548&ncid=703&e=7&u=/ap/20030603/ap_on_el_ge/florida_elections
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida's elections supervisors are warning that the 2004 elections, which include the presidential race, could be plagued with problems if they are again forced to have two primaries.
After the 2000 presidential election, with its long recount fight, lawmakers agreed to eliminate the October runoff primary for the 2002 election but bring it back in 2004.
Florida is one of 11 states that holds a second, runoff primary if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in the first primary.
Re-imposing the extra primary would result in elections in September, October and November, made even more difficult with new touchscreen voting machines that replaced punch card ballots, Sarasota County elections supervisor Kathy Dent said this week.
Legislative leaders have agreed to consider legislation that would drop the second primary in the 2004 elections, which are expected to have a strong turnout. The moratorium could be considered either during a special session this month that was called mainly to deal with medical malpractice insurance, or during the next regular session in spring 2004.
Election supervisors complain that having two primaries barely allows enough time to print ballots. In addition, they say, voters don't have time to become familiar with the ballots, and election workers can become overwhelmed. |
