Governor Rick Scott’s elections chief isn’t saying whether his boss will go along with the Legislature’s 2017 deadline for implementing online voter registration. Secretary of State Ken Detzner is keeping his cards close to his vest.
Detzner pleaded with lawmakers not to pass the legislation, but he declined Monday to express an opinion.
“Governor’s make their decisions based on whatever criteria they have. If he asks me my opinion, I’ll share that with him. But I have not spoken with him.”
Before lawmakers sent the bill to the governor, Detzner warned against adding another project to an ongoing computer system overhaul.
Republicans are under fire for making the process more complicated to discourage low-income voters who tend to be Democrats. Republican Senator Don Gaetz of Niceville, a moderate, demanded to know why Detzner once supported online voting.
“Have you had any direction from the governor’s office, or anyone else, that influenced you to change your position and say that we shouldn’t do this and pass this bill?”
Scott has until May 22nd to sign the bill, veto it, or let it become law without his signature.
