North Florida News

DeSantis eases voting rules in counties devastated by Ian

Published

3 years ago

October 14, 2022

FILE - Water floods a damaged trailer park in Fort Myers, Fla., on Oct. 1, 2022, after Hurricane Ian passed by the area. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022 announced an executive order expanding voting access for the midterm elections in three counties where Hurricane Ian destroyed polling places and displaced thousands of people. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday issued an executive order expanding voting access for the midterm elections in three counties where Hurricane Ian destroyed polling places and displaced thousands of people.

The move, which followed requests from Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota counties and voting rights groups, comes as Florida begins to undertake a massive recovery from the Category 4 hurricane that hit on Sept. 28 and leveled parts of the state’s southwest.

The order extends the number of early voting days in the three counties and authorizes election supervisors to designate additional early voting locations, steps that allow voters to cast ballots at any polling place in their registered county from Oct. 24 through Election Day, Nov. 8. Election supervisors can also relocate or consolidate polling places if necessary.

It also waives training requirements for poll workers and suspends a signature requirement for voters requesting to have a mail ballot sent to an address that is different from the one election officials have on file.

The decision was praised by Tommy Doyle, the elections supervisor in Lee County, which was the epicenter of Ian’s wrath along the Gulf Coast.

“The Executive Order is crucial because it allows us to move forward with our plans to make voting as accessible as possible to the voters of Lee County,” Doyle said Thursday.

Secretary of State Cord Byrd, a Republican appointee of the governor, said state officials are working to ensure that the election is “administered as efficiently and securely as possible across the state and in the counties that received the heaviest damage.”

The changes are similar to policies allowed by former Florida Gov. Rick Scott, a Republican, after Hurricane Michael in 2018.

DeSantis has faced questions over what steps he would take to ensure voting access in the heavily damaged southwest part of the state, which has leaned conservative in recent elections. The Republican governor, who is up for reelection, has made tightening election laws a top priority over the last two years, as he and others in the GOP reacted to former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

This week, a coalition of advocacy organizations sent a letter to state election officials that asked for extension of the state’s voter registration deadline, which ended Tuesday, along with a greater number of early voting days and expanded early voting hours in affected counties, among other requests.

“It’s literally about removing barriers when people are in a state of incredible hardship and in displacement,” said Amy Keith of Common Cause Florida. “Just making it so they can do their civic duty, they can go out and exercise their right to vote.”

Separately, Doyle asked for similar changes, telling state election officials that the storm has devastated the county and its neighbors.

“In Lee county, there remain few viable election day polling locations post-storm. Several established polling locations no longer exist. Securing a sufficient number of poll workers to staff ninety-seven voting sites will be problematic. Hurricane Ian has displaced countless Lee County voters and poll workers from their homes,” he wrote in a letter to the state on Oct. 2.

Hurricane Ian came ashore in Lee County with 155 mph (250 kph) winds that decimated coastal communities and inundated areas with flooding and debris. Ian was the third deadliest storm to hit the U.S. mainland this century and Lee County has reported about half of the state’s more than 100 fatalities.

A Lee County spokesperson said election officials there have mailed out approximately 170,000 vote-by-mail ballots and will continue to send ballots out daily until the Oct. 29 request deadline. She added that the county will use its most experienced polls workers at its polling places.

During a news conference last week, DeSantis said he wants to keep the election “as normal as humanly possible” and added that there may be a need to make accommodations for a county as badly damaged as Lee, as well as possibly Charlotte County to the north.

Southwest Florida leans Republican, with the counties of Lee, Charlotte and Sarasota delivering wins for DeSantis and Trump in their last general elections. Lee County voted for Trump in 2020 by nearly 20 percentage points over President Joe Biden. DeSantis is favored to win reelection this year over Democrat Charlie Crist.

DeSantis and the Republican-controlled legislature have in the last two years tightened various voting rules in Florida. A law signed by the governor in 2021, prohibits people who would help others drop off mail ballots from possessing more than two mail ballots other than their own, unless they belong to immediate family members. This year Florida increased the penalty for the so-called “ballot harvesting” to a felony.

North Florida News

State Rep. Felicia Simone Robinson Files Bill to Establish Florida Voting Rights Restoration Database

Published

2 weeks ago

November 4, 2025

Willie David

State Rep. Felicia Simone Robinson Files Bill to Establish Florida Voting Rights Restoration Database

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) – Florida State Representative Felicia Simone Robinson (D–Miami Gardens) has introduced House Bill 73 for the 2026 Legislative Session, aimed at improving transparency and access to information for returning citizens seeking to restore their voting rights. The proposal would establish a statewide, publicly accessible database to help individuals with felony convictions determine their eligibility to vote. A companion measure, Senate Bill 132, has been filed by Senator Tina Polsky (D–Boca Raton).

Centralized Database to Streamline Restoration Process

Under the proposed legislation, the Florida Commission on Offender Review would be responsible for developing and maintaining a centralized database that tracks key information, including supervision terms, restitution, fines, and other legal financial obligations related to felony sentences.

The bill mandates cooperation between state and local agencies—such as clerks of court, county comptrollers, the Department of Corrections, and the Office of Executive Clemency—to ensure the data is accurate and updated regularly. The database would be publicly accessible online and updated monthly, providing a clear path for eligible individuals to confirm their status.

Protecting Returning Citizens and Ensuring Transparency

The legislation also includes protections for individuals who rely in good faith on the database’s information, shielding them from prosecution for unintentional voting violations. Additionally, the Florida Commission on Offender Review would be required to submit a detailed implementation plan—outlining costs, staffing, and technology needs—to both the Governor and the Legislature. If approved, the law would take effect July 1, 2026.

Rep. Robinson Calls for Fairness and Dignity in the Process

Representative Robinson emphasized the moral and civic importance of restoring clarity to Florida’s electoral system.

“Floridians who have completed their sentences deserve clear, timely access to information about their rights,” said Rep. Robinson. “Too many are uncertain whether they still owe obligations or whether they can safely register to vote. This legislation will eliminate confusion and restore dignity.”

North Florida News

Jaguars Maul Panthers in Travis Hunter’s Debut

Published

2 months ago

September 7, 2025

Mike Brodsky

Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FNN) – The Jacksonville Jaguars (1-0) beat the Carolina Panthers (0-1) by a score of 26-10 at EverBank Stadium. Today’s game marked the debut of Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter, who played on both sides of the ball for the Jaguars, as a wide receiver and cornerback. It was also the first time Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. played against his brother, Panthers rookie RB Trevor Etienne, who was drafted in the fourth round after playing two seasons for the Florida Gators and one for the Georgia Bulldogs.

Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter makes his debut with the Jaguars. (Photo: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

The Jaguars scored on their first drive of the season, with K Cam Little’s 35 yard field goal. But the Panthers responded with K Ryan Fitzgerald’s 48 yard field goal, tying the game at 3-3, which was the score at the end of the first quarter.

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence’s 6 yard touchdown pass to TE Hunter Long, followed by Cam Little’s extra point, put the Jags ahead 10-3. It was Lawrence’s fifth consecutive open week with a passing touchdown. Just after that play, the game was officially delayed for about an hour due to severe weather in the area. Players and fans were moved to covered areas as a precaution. Later in the quarter after action resumed, WR Brian Thomas Jr. ran for a 9 yard touchdown. Little added the XP and followed shortly after with a 47 yard field goal just before halftime, to put the Jags up 20-3.

The game was delayed due to severe weather in Jacksonville. (Photo credit: Mike Brodsky, Florida National News)

In the third quarter, the Jaguars succeeded in stopping the Panthers’ drive, taking over the ball on their 6 yard line. But neither team scored any points in the quarter.

Midway through the fourth, Cam Little’s 36 yard field goal put the Jags ahead 23-3. But the Panthers responded with a 27 yard pass from QB Bryce Young to RB Chuba Hubbard, followed by Brian Fitzgerald’s XP, narrowing their deficit to 23-10. After the two minute warning, Cam Little’s 28 yard field goal put the Jags up 26-10. A late scoring drive by the Panthers ended with an interception of Bryce Young’s pass intended for RB Rico Dowdle by Jaguars CB Jourdan Lewis, ending the game at 26-10.

Trevor Lawrence finished with 178 yards and one TD. Travis Etienne Jr. led the Jaguars’ rushing with 142 yards. Brenton Strange was the leading receiver with 59 yards. Today’s attendance was 59,957.

The Jacksonville Jaguars are in the process of renovating their stadium. Many areas of EverBank Stadium were blocked off for construction during today’s game. The project will continue while the Jaguars continue to play at home this season and next. In 2027, the team will play at either Orlando or Gainesville to complete the transformation. For more details on Jacksonville’s Stadium Of The Future, which opens in 2028, visit https://www.jaguars.com/stadiumofthefuture/.

The Jaguars head to Cincinnati to face the Bengals on Sunday, 9/14. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Be sure to follow www.FloridaNationalNews.com for more.

North Florida News

Jaguars Foundation and Florida Blue Host 3rd Annual Community Day in Jacksonville

Published

3 months ago

August 4, 2025

FNN SPORTS

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Hundreds of volunteers from Jacksonville’s business community will join forces with the Jaguars Foundation for the 3rd Annual Community Day presented by Florida Blue on Friday, August 8. The event will focus on assembling care packages to benefit thousands of local children, families, and military service members.

The event will take place at Toon Town Pickleball and kick off with remarks from representatives of the Jaguars Foundation and Florida Blue. Volunteers from major companies including Florida Blue, CSX, FIS, Regency Centers, and JEA will help prepare care packages for several nonprofit organizations: Feeding Northeast Florida, St. Michael’s Soldiers, Changing Homelessness, Communities In Schools, and residents of the OUTEAST community.

The morning will wrap up with entertainment, including a live DJ, tailgate games, lunch, and photo opportunities featuring Jaguars mascot Jaxson de Ville and Jaguars Legends Josh Scobee and Aaron Beasley.

Event Details:
WHAT: 3rd Annual Community Day presented by Florida Blue – Care Package Assembly for Jacksonville-area nonprofits
WHEN: Friday, August 8 | 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
WHERE: Toon Town Pickleball, 1726 E. Church St., Jacksonville, FL 32202
WHO: Volunteers from local businesses, Jaguars Foundation staff, Florida Blue representatives, and Jaguars Legends

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Staff | Sports@FloridaNationalNews.com