Allow Poll Watchers in Fla., Say Advocates for Disabled

Tue, October 21, 2008 - 5:00 PM

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) wants Florida Secretary of State Kurt Browning and Gov. Charlie Crist to allow federal poll watchers in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Miami-Dade and Broward counties on Election Day.

The organization, in a statement, said it was responding to reports that Browning, a Crist appointee, has said the U.S. Government Accountability Office can’t include Florida in its plans to check equipment and document polling-place accessibility.

“In a state with such a high senior citizen population and high population of people with disabilities, it’s outrageous that the Secretary of State refuses to let people in to measure accessibility. What’s he got to hide?” said Jim Dickson, vice president for Government Affairs at AAPD.

Florida is the only state – of 31 in the country picked to participate in the survey - that refuses to let the federal inspectors into polling places on Election Day. Miami-Dade, Broward, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties are the four counties selected by the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson on Monday called on Crist in a letter to allow the inspectors into the polling places.

Browning acknowledged Monday that his initial response to a request by the GAO was that “No, you can’t come to our polling places.” He said state law is very clear on who can go into a polling place.

But Browning also said the state would reconsider that position.

-- Billy House, Media General News Service