Gov. Bush softening on elections proposals
By BRENT KALLESTAD
Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Facing a firestorm of criticism in the wake of an attempt to consolidate more elections supervisory powers under his authority, Gov. Jeb Bush signaled a willingness to compromise Thursday.
Some of the state's 67 elections supervisors said Bush broke faith with them when the secretary of state's office - an agency of the governor's office - disclosed its recommendations for changes in the state's elections laws in a late afternoon conference call Wednesday.
"This whole process comes at the 11th hour out of the blue, completely contradicting what the Division of Elections has been telling the supervisors of elections for the last two years," veteran Leon County elections chief Ion Sancho said Thursday. "It's clear the considerations to make this change are political and not legal ones."
Longtime Okaloosa County Elections Supervisor Pat Hollarn said Thursday she was "dismayed" by the proposal. "It is unquestionably the strongest attempt to exert power and manipulation of duly elected constitutional officers that I've seen in the 35 years I've been in Florida," said Hollarn, a registered Republican.
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