Florida election officials sent an urgent letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) Tuesday, warning of the many issues a sustained or reborn coronavirus outbreak could cause for the November election.
Tammy Jones, president of the Florida Supervisors of Elections, wrote on behalf of the 67 supervisors across the state asking DeSantis to issue an executive order “as soon as possible” that allows each county the “flexibility” it’ll need to administer the election.
She called for more accommodating absentee ballot regulations, along with a full 22 days of early voting. Jones also said that early voting polling places should be kept open on Election Day — they usually shutter the day before.
“Florida is not in a position, at this time, to conduct an all-mail ballot election this year,” she wrote.
Jones also pointed to the “significant problems” the state had in conducting the March 17 presidential primary, won by former Vice President Joe Biden. She cited the lack of poll workers as people fell sick or feared becoming so, and the scarcity of sanitizing supplies.
“We anticipate a significant statewide shortage of poll workers for the 2020 elections,” she said.
DeSantis has already come under fire for his slow responses to the pandemic, including his sluggishness in issuing a stay-at-home order while Floridians crowded the beaches.
The letter was sent as Wisconsin pushed through with its in-person elections after a flurry of last minute attempts to delay it by Gov. Tony Evers (D) and other Democrats. The result was long lines, closed polls and absentee ballot confusion that may end up nullifying votes statewide.
Read the letter here:
