Republicans Prevail on NO More Early Voting Sites in Black Areas of Florida

• Early Voting Lawsuit Rejected -- Largest Black County has 1 Early Voting Site

A federal judge Monday rejected a "racial discrimination" lawsuit filed against the Duval County Supervisor of Elections. The lawsuit was filed by a variety of groups including the Jacksonville Coalition for Voter Protection, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Service Employees International Union, the AFL-CIO, CLC. The groups argued that African-Americans in Duval County had less of an opportunity than other members of the state's electorate to vote in the upcoming election. The claim was based on grounds that Duval County has the largest percentage of registered African-American voters of any major county in the state, but only one early voting site to go to. The suit claimed the state violated voters' rights under the 14th and 15th Amendments by having fewer polling sites than similarly-sized counties. United States District Judge Harvey Schlesinger late Monday afternoon denied a "preliminary injunction". Judge Schlesinger found that not opening four more early polling places in outlying areas of Duval County does not result in African-American voters being denied, "meaningful access to the political process." [more ]