Because of the number and seriousness of these complaints our Project determined that it was essential to examine the actual practices in all 67 of Florida's counties. We have made a Florida Public Records Act demand for information from every Supervisor of Elections in every county regarding language assistance issues, purging practices, procedures for restoration to the voter list or otherwise voting on election day and which precincts had the highest number of invalidated votes or ballots. Because practices and rules have been permitted by the State Department of Elections to vary widely among the counties, it is likely that the obstacles faced by voters also vary widely and it would be dangerous to assume that a few wholesale reforms will solve all of the inequities that this election has exposed. However, even in advance of our knowing the details of each county's practices and barriers to voting to a certainty, we know a number of practices and changes that should be implemented uniformly throughout the State that would go a long way toward eliminating the barriers to voting faced by many groups in Florida who are isolated by race, language or poverty. The necessity for each of the reforms can be summarized by a single message - it should not be difficult to vote .
Voting is one of our most cherished and important rights as citizens.
The ability to exercise it should not involve running a gauntlet. Nor should it be left to the unfettered discretion of partisan elections officials. Extensive poll worker training in, and enforcement of, uniform State standards regarding permitting electors to vote and assisting voters when needed. Initially, this will require the State to develop uniform state standards. For example, in the November election it was reported to us that voters were turned away at the precincts because they did not have photo identification such as a Florida driver's license.