Gray Rohrer
A bill filed to strictly limit access to mail ballots now faces a difficult path through the Legislature, after Senate President Kathleen Passidomo said she’s opposed to the measure.
“I have a large number of elderly constituents,” Passidomo, a Naples Republican, told reporters during the first day of the Regular Session. “My parents, who unfortunately recently passed away — they voted by mail. They were dyed-in-the-wool Republicans. They were not able to get in a car and drive to the polling place.”
“We have a lot of elderly people who like the vote-by-mail process and they’re more comfortable, they feel their vote was counted — it obviously was, the people they voted for won,” Passidomo added.
Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, a Spring Hill Republican, filed the bill (SB 1752). As a House member, Ingoglia sponsored a bill in 2021 — in the wake of former President Donald Trump’s bogus claims of widespread election fraud in 2020 — to restrict the use of drop boxes for mail ballots.
Later legislation banned the use of drop boxes entirely, and that provision was upheld in an appellate court ruling last year after a lower court initially knocked it down.
The new measure would require voters to request a mail ballot for every election and require them to show they won’t be present on election day or are disabled on physically unable to get to the polls. Other provisions would ban vote-counting machines with software or hardware made or owned by a foreign entity, and require canvassing boards to conduct manual recounts of two randomly selected precincts open to the public before certifying the elections.
But according to Passidomo, the appetite for such a drastic limitation on mail ballots is thin, at least in the Senate.
“That is not what I’m hearing,” Passidomo said when asked if she would use her leadership position to squash a bill that had widespread GOP support. “I think most members feel the vote-by-mail process is safe and secure.”
6 comments
M
January 9, 2024 at 3:42 pm
Ron DeSantis is a terror for Floridians. He’s lining our piece of paradise w/his rich cronies (Hannity) is the recent arrival. Making it unaffordable for the natives of Florida. We need help in Florida and someone to work for all people of Florida not the rich trying to steal it. Insurance is out of sight for everyone retired and he’s making us make some tough unthinkable chooses rather to stay or leave Florida (our homes) for the rich. They are buying up the place like crazy!
Oh, him again?
January 9, 2024 at 3:59 pm
Nutcases like Blasé 😉 should not even be permitted to file bills without their mother’s permission.
The Dude
January 9, 2024 at 4:10 pm
We all saw the mules stuffing stacks of ballots harvested by Demi operatives in the late night. We saw Demo precinct workers in Pennsylvania covering the glass windows so the mules could dump ballots. The mail in process has gotten completely out of hand. Make Election Day a national holiday so people can vote in person. This accepting and counting ballots long after the election is over is ripe for fraud and the Demo’s have mastered it. Clean it up.
JD
January 9, 2024 at 4:46 pm
No you didn’t, you saw some suitcases that a few claimed to be “stuffed” on CTV.
Seems like the voter fraud was all in the Villages and by Republicans.
Stop taking away people’s privileges and de-facto infringing on rights in the process without proof. We are all tired of the Republican fake boogeymen.
1
January 9, 2024 at 5:57 pm
You wrote nothing but nonsense. Take your meds, please.
GM
January 9, 2024 at 8:41 pm
Later legislation banned the use of drop boxes entirely, and that provision was upheld in an appellate court ruling last year after a lower court initially knocked it down. Please show me where this bullshit comes from. Drop boxes were never banned in florida but great laws about only during early voting. Peter should be appalled that you are so loose with your reporting
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