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Florida Democrat Lawmakers File Bills To Extend Early Voting

A pair of Florida lawmakers have filed separate bills they say could be the answer to Florida’s elections problems, like long lines at the polls. One bill sponsor says it’s common sense legislation that she believes both sides of the aisle can agree on.

Democratic Senator Gwen Margolis of Miami says she wants to be sure Floridians will not be deterred from voting in future elections. So, she filed a bill that essentially extends early voting days as well as the number of early voting locations.

“In general elections, when the turnout is much greater, the days would go back to the original [early voting] days, and the places would be expanded to one for every 50,000 voters,” said Margolis.

Senator Arthenia Joyner of Tampa also filed a similar bill. Like Margolis, she hopes to extend the number of early voting days from 10 to 15. There were originally 14 early voting days, but the Republican-led Legislature voted last year to reduce the number of days, which some say attributed to Florida’s recent election problems.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on twitter @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.