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| US election officials scrutinise Florida as governor curbs early voting | US election officials scrutinise Florida as governor curbs early voting |
| (8 days later) | |
| The US justice department is scrutinising the conduct of early voting in Florida after people waited for hours in some places to cast a ballot and the state governor, Rick Scott, refused to extend voting beyond Saturday. | The US justice department is scrutinising the conduct of early voting in Florida after people waited for hours in some places to cast a ballot and the state governor, Rick Scott, refused to extend voting beyond Saturday. |
| The justice department said it is monitoring some polling stations to ensure compliance with the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which bars states from placing obstacles in the way of balloting after the Florida legislature cut the number of early voting days in a move Democrats said disadvantaged Barack Obama's supporters. Elections in Florida have attracted particular scrutiny since the 2000 debacle which delivered George Bush into power. | The justice department said it is monitoring some polling stations to ensure compliance with the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which bars states from placing obstacles in the way of balloting after the Florida legislature cut the number of early voting days in a move Democrats said disadvantaged Barack Obama's supporters. Elections in Florida have attracted particular scrutiny since the 2000 debacle which delivered George Bush into power. |
| As hours-long lines once again formed in some parts of the state for the final day of early voting on Saturday, opinion polls were at odds on how the crucial swing state will decide. A Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald poll put Mitt Romney six percentage points ahead, 51% to 45%. But an NBC/Wall Street Journal survey gave a small advantage to Barack Obama. | As hours-long lines once again formed in some parts of the state for the final day of early voting on Saturday, opinion polls were at odds on how the crucial swing state will decide. A Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald poll put Mitt Romney six percentage points ahead, 51% to 45%. But an NBC/Wall Street Journal survey gave a small advantage to Barack Obama. |
| The contradictory polls reflected the uncertainty of a heated competition in the state that has seen early voting rise dramatically compared to four years ago and supporters of both candidates saying they voted to keep the other out. | The contradictory polls reflected the uncertainty of a heated competition in the state that has seen early voting rise dramatically compared to four years ago and supporters of both candidates saying they voted to keep the other out. |
| But the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald survey also confirmed that many swing voters, particularly Hispanics, have been drawn to Romney by economic desperation and a belief that he will be better able to create jobs. | But the Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald survey also confirmed that many swing voters, particularly Hispanics, have been drawn to Romney by economic desperation and a belief that he will be better able to create jobs. |
| About 3.5 million Floridians had voted early by Friday – either by post or in person. That's about 30% of the state's electorate and a dramatic increase on 2008 when 2.7 million voted early. | About 3.5 million Floridians had voted early by Friday – either by post or in person. That's about 30% of the state's electorate and a dramatic increase on 2008 when 2.7 million voted early. |
| About 1.39 million of the early voters are registered Republicans and 1.47 million are Democrats. However, that doesn't necessarily reflect how they voted. Both parties gave differing interpretations of the the figures – totals of postal voting and people who turned out early in person – to claim the advantage. What the turnout and long lines at polling stations did clearly show is how strongly some people feel about this election. | About 1.39 million of the early voters are registered Republicans and 1.47 million are Democrats. However, that doesn't necessarily reflect how they voted. Both parties gave differing interpretations of the the figures – totals of postal voting and people who turned out early in person – to claim the advantage. What the turnout and long lines at polling stations did clearly show is how strongly some people feel about this election. |
| Michelle Butler, a business manager and Obama supporter, said she was driven to the polls not by the excitement she felt in 2008 but a sense that he has been unfairly treated by Romney and the Republicans. | Michelle Butler, a business manager and Obama supporter, said she was driven to the polls not by the excitement she felt in 2008 but a sense that he has been unfairly treated by Romney and the Republicans. |
| "I think people are frustrated that the Republicans are blaming Obama even though he's completely turned the economy around," she said. "The Republicans said they would make him a one-term president as soon as he came to power. We saw what happened. They blocked him in Congress instead of putting the country first. People are upset that the Republicans don't play fair." | "I think people are frustrated that the Republicans are blaming Obama even though he's completely turned the economy around," she said. "The Republicans said they would make him a one-term president as soon as he came to power. We saw what happened. They blocked him in Congress instead of putting the country first. People are upset that the Republicans don't play fair." |
| Erin O'Brian, a teacher, said she doesn't trust Romney. | Erin O'Brian, a teacher, said she doesn't trust Romney. |
| "It's all of his flip-flopping. I think people are frustrated. They don't really know who Romney is or what he would do as president. That makes you wonder who would be influencing him. I think people are afraid," she said. "I used to cry listening to Obama speak. But that's not what it's about this time. This is about my daughter's future." | "It's all of his flip-flopping. I think people are frustrated. They don't really know who Romney is or what he would do as president. That makes you wonder who would be influencing him. I think people are afraid," she said. "I used to cry listening to Obama speak. But that's not what it's about this time. This is about my daughter's future." |
| But many Republicans are excited at the albeit diminishing prospect of removing Obama from power. | But many Republicans are excited at the albeit diminishing prospect of removing Obama from power. |
| "Romney wouldn't be my first choice for president," said a petrol station owner, Frank Held, at a Tampa polling station. "But he's not Obama. That's all that matters now. Three more days and Obama's out. We've waited four years to put right the historic, horrible mistake this country made in electing him." | "Romney wouldn't be my first choice for president," said a petrol station owner, Frank Held, at a Tampa polling station. "But he's not Obama. That's all that matters now. Three more days and Obama's out. We've waited four years to put right the historic, horrible mistake this country made in electing him." |
| As the race enters its final days, both campaigns have saturated key areas of the state with adverts including one from Mitt Romney that says Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Hugo Chávez, the left-leaning Venezuelan president, would vote for Obama. The advert includes a sound bite in which Chavez says: "If I were American, I'd vote for Obama" and "If Obama were from [Venezuela], he'd vote for Chávez." | As the race enters its final days, both campaigns have saturated key areas of the state with adverts including one from Mitt Romney that says Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Hugo Chávez, the left-leaning Venezuelan president, would vote for Obama. The advert includes a sound bite in which Chavez says: "If I were American, I'd vote for Obama" and "If Obama were from [Venezuela], he'd vote for Chávez." |
| Castro's niece, Mariela Castro, is seen on video saying: "I would vote for President Obama." She is the daughter of Cuba's present leader, Raul Castro, and a campaigner for gay rights. | Castro's niece, Mariela Castro, is seen on video saying: "I would vote for President Obama." She is the daughter of Cuba's present leader, Raul Castro, and a campaigner for gay rights. |
| Florida voters have faced long lines all week to vote early, with some people queuing for five hours, in part because the ballot runs to several pages, with proposed constitutional amendments as well as electing a president, members of Congress and local officials, and it takes a while to fill it out even if people are fully prepared. | Florida voters have faced long lines all week to vote early, with some people queuing for five hours, in part because the ballot runs to several pages, with proposed constitutional amendments as well as electing a president, members of Congress and local officials, and it takes a while to fill it out even if people are fully prepared. |
| But Democrats say another reason for the extended lines is that the Republican legislature cut the number of early voting days from 14 to eight to discourage Democrats, who are more likely to vote early, from going to the polling stations. One particularly blatant move was to scrap voting on the last Sunday before election day when many African Americans in Florida traditionally go to the polls after church. | But Democrats say another reason for the extended lines is that the Republican legislature cut the number of early voting days from 14 to eight to discourage Democrats, who are more likely to vote early, from going to the polling stations. One particularly blatant move was to scrap voting on the last Sunday before election day when many African Americans in Florida traditionally go to the polls after church. |
| But there have been other measures to discourage early voting, or voting at all, some of which have been struck down by the federal courts as blatant discrimination. | But there have been other measures to discourage early voting, or voting at all, some of which have been struck down by the federal courts as blatant discrimination. |
| The League of Women Voters says that the man behind this is the same Republican party official who effectively rigged the 2000 vote in Florida which delivered George Bush into power by a few hundred voters. | The League of Women Voters says that the man behind this is the same Republican party official who effectively rigged the 2000 vote in Florida which delivered George Bush into power by a few hundred voters. |
| The league alleges in a lawsuit that the Republican party of Florida's legal counsel, Emmett "Bucky'' Mitchell IV, wrote the first draft of legislation making it considerably more difficult for groups such as the League of Women Voters to conduct voter registration campaigns and requiring photo identification for voters on the grounds of concern about fraudulent balloting – a virtually non-existent problem. Both measures were eventually blocked by federal courts. | The league alleges in a lawsuit that the Republican party of Florida's legal counsel, Emmett "Bucky'' Mitchell IV, wrote the first draft of legislation making it considerably more difficult for groups such as the League of Women Voters to conduct voter registration campaigns and requiring photo identification for voters on the grounds of concern about fraudulent balloting – a virtually non-existent problem. Both measures were eventually blocked by federal courts. |
| Mitchell was also the man behind the removal of convicted felons from the Florida voters' role in 2000 which led to many innocent people with similar names being deprived of the right to vote. A disproportionate number of them were African Americans, who tend to vote for Democrats. | Mitchell was also the man behind the removal of convicted felons from the Florida voters' role in 2000 which led to many innocent people with similar names being deprived of the right to vote. A disproportionate number of them were African Americans, who tend to vote for Democrats. |
| The League of Women Voters said that Mitchell's involvement in the most recent legislation is evidence of a "partisan agenda to manipulate the voting rules". | The League of Women Voters said that Mitchell's involvement in the most recent legislation is evidence of a "partisan agenda to manipulate the voting rules". |
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