Florida Voting Laws Under Review

By: Associated Press Email

Posted: Thu 9:56 PM, Jun 21, 2012

Washington, D.C.-June 21,2012-

Lawyers for the state of Florida are asking a federal court to approve changes to the state's voting laws, saying they don't violate the federal Voting Rights Act.

Lawyers for the Justice Department and several intervening groups are countering, saying that the proposed changes will hurt voter turnout among minorities and do constitute a violation of the act.

Among other changes, the Florida election law would trim the number of days for early voting, place restrictions on voter registration drives and require voters to cast provisional ballots if they change their addresses from another county on Election Day.

The two sides presented arguments in a Washington courtroom Thursday. The three-judge panel hearing the arguments set no timetable for a ruling.

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