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Touch Screen Voting Machine Bill Comes To A Head

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Apr 27, 2007 11:21 am US/Eastern

Touch Screen Voting Machine Bill Comes To A Head

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TALLAHASSEE (CBS4) ― The Florida Senate is supposed to vote Friday on an expansive elections bill that would replace the state's touch-screen voting machines with ones with a paper trail.

The proposed law also would move Florida's presidential primary to January 29th from early March.

Until earlier this week, the bill had widespread support from Republicans and Democrats. A number of amendments have drawn opposition from Democrats and voter advocacy groups who said the amendments would make it more difficult for third-party groups, such as The League of Women Voters, to register voters.

The bill was changed again Thursday to address some of those concerns.

At least a dozen other states have recently moved their primaries to February 5th.

The House has passed a separate bill that would set Florida's primary seven days after New Hampshire's date, which has not yet been set.

Moving the Florida primary could cause a backlash from the national Republican and Democratic parties, which have consistently warned state lawmakers they will take away delegates to the nominating conventions. Democratic National
Committee

Chairman Howard Dean recently warned Florida Democrats that if they move the primary earlier than Feb. 5, the DNC may not allow a candidate who campaigns in the state to have the state's delegates if the candidate should win here.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

© MMIX, CBS Television Stations Inc. All Rights Reserved.