Space Coast Progressive Alliance

Florida Initiative for Electoral Reform (FLIER) has provided sample emails to use for contacting your Florida Representative and Senator this week to support legislation which would reverse the several voter suppression bills that have already been passed into law.  Please act this week. For more about the good work done at FLIER, visit http://www.floridaelectoralreform.org.

Sample message to your Representative:

Dear Representative                      : (Insert last name of your Representative here)

On January 10, 2012, HB 1189 was placed in the Government Operations Subcommittee.  I am writing to ask that you contact Representative Jimmy Patronis, Chairperson and other members of the Government Operations Subcommittee to assure that HB 1189 and HB 1079  are placed on their agenda for discussion, and approval and a full vote this session. 

 I support HB 1189 because it would:

·         Increase the deadline for turning in voter registrations forms from the 48 hours allowed under last year’s legislation to 10 days.  For many students at colleges like mine this is important – many first time voters register at their campus, and the current 48 hour restriction has made it nearly impossible for student groups to actively engage in voter registration drives.

 ·         Reinstate the nearly 40-year old practice of allowing voters to change their addresses at the polls

 ·         Would increase the number of days and hours available for early voting

 ·         Would restore the lifetime initiative petition signatures to four years (from the two years in current law).

 HB 1079 would provide for minimum standards to early voting access across county lines and allow local elections supervisors to utilize buildings such as our college campuses as early voting sites to meet those standards. This would greatly increase the opportunity for students to participate and assist in providing greater access to the general public.

In short, HB 1189 and HB 1079 would restore the rights we lost last year and would assure that basic voting rights and access to voting are protected and improved for the benefit of all Floridians. 

 I thank you in advance for contacting Representative Patronis and other members of the Government Operations Subcommittee to assure HB 1189 is placed on their agenda this session.

 Respectfully,

 Sample letter to your Senator:

 Find your Senator: http://www.flsenate.gov/Senators/Find

 Dear Senator                     : (Type your Senator’s last name here)

 In 2011, Florida’s legislature approved and Governor Scott signed HB 1355 into law.  It is my belief that this legislation has a negative impact on voting rights for Florida citizens.  Thankfully, two bills have been introduced this session that would restore my voting rights, and I need your help to assure they make it out of committee for a full vote. 

 SB 1636 is a more expansive piece of legislation than SB 516 and would:

 Together, SB 516 and SB 1636 would restore the rights we lost last year and would assure that basic voting rights and access to voting are protected and improved for the benefit of all Floridians. 

 Earlier this month both bills were placed in the Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections; Rules.  Both have had a 1^st reading.  Now I need you to assure that Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, Chairperson and other members of the Rules Subcommittee on Ethics and Elections place SB 516 and SB 1355 on the Subcommittee’s agenda for discussion and approval so they can move forward this session.

Publications

Interim Work Report

Bills By Committee

Proposed Committee Bills (PCB)

Bills by Committee