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ACLU Urges Broward Elections Supervisor to Deliver Backup Voting
Machines, Use Paper Ballots to Avoid Gridlock During Peak Voting Hours
November 5, 2002
MIAMI - Saying the potential for long lines in Broward may discourage voters from casting their ballots, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) today asked Broward Elections Supervisor Miriam Oliphant to take steps before tonight's rush hour to alleviate long lines in certain Broward precincts.
With the highest number registered voters in Florida and 2,000 fewer touch-screen voting machines than in neighboring Miami-Dade County, Broward is very likely to encounter problems related to malfunctioning machines and long voter lines, especially during peak voting times from 5 to 7 p.m.
"In light of the length of the ballot in Broward County, the anticipated large voter turn out, the small number of voting machines purchased by the county in relation to the number of registered voters ... we are concerned that the lines may be so long as to discourage or prevent eligible voters from casting a ballot," wrote JoNel Newman, the ACLU voting rights attorney who co-signed a two-page letter to Oliphant along with ACLU of Florida Executive Director Howard Simon.
ACLU officials urged Oliphant to implement the following steps to alleviate potential gridlock at the polls later today:
- Make arrangements to deliver some of the approximate 500 "backup" voting machines to precincts experiencing extraordinarily long lines
- Authorize precinct clerks to utilize backup or substitute paper ballots in precincts with long lines
- Use existing paper ballots - already on hand for provisional voting - as substitute ballots and arrange for the delivery of secure ballot boxes to those precincts authorized to distribute backup ballots.
- Follow appropriate state law and county rules to insure that all voters in line at 7 p.m. are afforded an opportunity to vote, even if that may require keeping polling places open well after 7 p.m.
The ACLU of Florida has launched a toll-free complaint hotline to collect information regarding statewide voting problems on Election Day. More than 35 complaints have been documented today in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties ranging from problems with voter intimidation and access to the polls to wrongful purging. Complaints also have been received from voters who were unable to vote for the gubernatorial candidate of their choice because of equipment malfunction.
Numerous complaints have been received from Broward, including one related to precinct 50V. According to voter registration cards and the Broward County web site, the precinct is located in McArthur High School Auditorium, 6501 Hollywood Blvd. But numerous voters who reported to this address said there was no polling place operating at that location.
Voters can call the hotline - 1-866-597-4909 - from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, November 4th through Friday, November 8 th , to report complaints.
