Fifteen Indivisible groups in Florida, representing 8,076 members, have sent a letter to Secretary of State Laurel Lee and Governor Ron DeSantis calling on them to increase early-voting days in this year’s elections so voters frightened of Covid-19 can exercise their constitutional right to vote in safety. The groups also expressed concern about voters’ fear of “recent online efforts to recruit hostile individuals to intimidate voters.”
They called on Secretary Lee to launch “a public campaign announcing the measures that will be taken to keep poll workers and voters safe, both from COVID-19 and from anyone who would seek to drive away voters who may not hold their beliefs or support their candidates.”
Said Mary Lawrence, leader of Indivisible St. Johns: “It is important that most of Florida’s Supervisors of Elections are preparing for a large increase in Vote By Mail ballots from voters who are concerned about catching Covid-19. But increased early voting and added early voting sites could ease the burden of mail-in ballots while allowing in-person voting in safer, less crowded conditions than on election day.”
Letter-from-Indivisible-Groups-to-Secretary-of-State-Laurel-LeeBACKGROUND: On April 7th and May 13th Florida’s 67 Supervisors of Elections (SOE’s) sent letters to Lee and DeSantis urging them to order a number of measures to increase safety for voters and poll workers during the pandemic. DeSantis delayed answering until June 17th and his response (https://www.politico.com/states/f/?id=00000172-c4c9-d07a-a7f7-ccdfc82d0000) did not include adding early-voting days. It did address other Covid-related measures requested by the SOE’s such as disinfectants and personal protection equipment. It also provided for government employees to replace poll workers who, fearful for their safety, will decline to work.
FLORIDA’S INDIVISIBLE GROUPS are working to elect representatives who support democracy and essential government programs and to make Trump a one-term president. Most of the groups listed below are members of the Indivisible Florida Network (IndivisibleFlorida.org).
