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PROGRAMSUCCESSx13AUGUST2012PAGE13WashingtonDCCongresswomanCorrineBrownalongwiththeSouthernChristianLeadershipConference-JacksonvillechapterseveralindividualDuvalresidentsandtheDuvalCountyDemocraticExecutiveCommitteewillfileafederalcivilrightslawsuittoensurethatunconstitutionalanddiscriminatorychangestotheearlyvotinglawsarenotimplemented.TheAugustprimarieswillbethefirsttimeFloridaisaffectedbythechangestoearlyvotingwhichwerepassedbythestatelegislaturelastsession.Earlyvotingwasinstitutedafterthedebacleofthe2000electionswhenthousandswereturnedawayfromovercrowdedpolls.Since2004FloridianshavehadaccesstothepollsforeighthoursadayforfifteendaysrightupuntilthelastSundaybeforeelection-day.ThenewlawreducedearlyvotingtotendaysgavecountysupervisorsarbitrarydiscretionoverthenumberofhourspollsareopenandeliminatedvotingonthelastSunday.ThelawsuitaskstheUnitedStatesDistrictCourtfortheMiddleDistrictofFloridainJacksonvilletoenjointheFloridaSecretaryofStateandDuvalCountySupervisorofElectionsfromenforcingthediscriminatoryandarbitrarychangestoearlyvotinginthestateofFloridaandinDuvalCounty.SpecificallythesechangesviolatetheFirstandFourteenthAmendmentstotheUnitedStatesconstitutionSection2oftheVotingRightsActof196542U.S.C.and1973aandtheFloridaconstitution.x1cEarlyvotinghasworkedextremelywellforallFloridiansandespeciallyforAfricanAmericanvotersx1dsaidCongresswomanBrown.x1cInfactmorethananyotherracialorethnicgroupAfricanAmericanshavecometorelyonearlyvoting.x1dAccordingtoDr.DanielA.SmithProfessorofPoliticalScienceandResearchProfessoratTheUniversityofFloridainthe2008generalelectionAfricanAmericanscast22percentofthetotalearlyvoteeventhoughblackscomprisedjust13ofthestatex19sregisteredvoters.MoreAfricanAmericansvoteduringtheearlyvotingperiodthanonelection-dayorviaabsenteeballotcombined.Perhapsmoststrikinglyin2008AfricanAmericansaccountedforroughly34ofvotescastontheSundaybeforetheelection.ThesetrendsareamplifiedinDuvalCountywhere58ofAfricanAmericansvotedearlyin2008.Inlastyearx19slocalelectionsAfricanAmericanscastroughly34oftheearlyvoteseventhoughtheycomprisedlessthan30oftheelectorateandonthefinalSundayofearlyvotingmoreAfricanAmericanscametothepollsthandidwhites.x1cThereisabsolutelynoexplanationforrestrictingearlyvotingotherthanintentionalvotersuppression.InfactitseemsthatGovernorScottsimplydoesnotwantpeopletovote.Weshouldbemakingiteasierforpeopletogettothepollsnotharderx1dtheCongresswomandeclared.x1cItisparticularlyfittingthatIamfilingthislawsuitatTheJohnMiltonBryanSimpsonUnitedStatesCourthousex1dCongresswomanBrownpointedout.x1cIsponsoredthebillthatnamedthiscourthouseforJudgeSimpsonbecausehewasagiantinthecivilrightsmovementhereinJacksonville.AmongotherthingshisordersledtothepassageoftheCivilRightsActanddesegregatedtheschoolscitypoolscitygolfcoursesandthecityzoo.IknowJudgeSimpsonwouldnotstandforsuchablatantattempttoexcludeAfricanAmericansfromthepolls.x1dCongresswomanBrownandtheotherplaintiffsarerepresentedbyNeilHenrichsenofHenrichsenSiegelinJacksonvillewww.hslawyers.com.CongresswomanCorrineBrownFilesFederalLawsuittoProtectFloridaVotersTheHonorableCorrineBrownThirdCongressionalDistrictofFlorida