Voter Registration Flood
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Updated: 12:10 PM Sep 26, 2008
Voter Registration Flood
Florida’s Division of Elections is receiving more voter registration applications than it can handle. The state’s hired extra staff and called on county election supervisors to help process the forms. The clock is ticking to get all the applications processed before early voting begins.
Posted: 9:50 PM Sep 25, 2008
Reporter: Whitney Ray

Voter Registration
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Florida’s Division of Elections is receiving more voter registration applications than it can handle. The state’s hired extra staff and called on county election supervisors to help process the forms. The clock is ticking to get all the applications processed before early voting begins.

Florida’s Division of Elections received 25,000 voter registration forms on Monday and Tuesday alone. If one county’s experience is correct, 250 of these applications will be bounced because they don’t match a state data base.

Jennifer Davis is a spokeswoman for the Secretary of State’s office.

“There are some that have been sent back for notice, but until we get closer to the election, we won’t know how many of them have been resolved.

Twenty-five extra people were hired to keep up with all of the applications, and they are still falling behind, so county election supervisors are being asked to pitch in. Some of the applications are stuffed into 67 boxes labeled by county.

With time being such an important factor, the boxes are shipped to the counties as soon as they’re filled.

Ion Sancho, Leon County’s Supervisor of Elections says the state is simply passing the buck.

“This is perfectly predictable, but apparently the state did not see this onslaught coming. So there’s 68 sites that are slammed with voter registrations.”

Because of the No Match law mandating applications be checked against a state database, processing the applications has slowed.

Micha Nixon just registered to vote. Fearing a typo while entering her driver’s license number could keep her vote from counting, she took extra time filling out her form.

“Dashes, letters, numbers.’ You’re sure it’s right? I’m positive.”

Whether or not Micha’s application goes through the process without problems, awaits to be seen.

If the drivers license number or social security number on a voter registration applications is wrong, election supervisors will send a letter to the applicant asking them to verify the number.