Some good news today! Supreme Court throws Amendments 3,7,9 off ballot. Chiles to withdraw Thursday

[flpoljunkie]

August 31, 2010

Supreme Court keeps redistricting and health care amendments off the ballot

In two lengthy 22-page opinions, the Florida Supreme Court voted 5-2 to uphold two lower court rulings and removed Amendments 7 and 9 from the November ballot. Amendment 7 aimed to dislodge the redistricting amendments (#5 and 6) and Amendment 9 was a plebescite on Obama's health care reforms. In a third opinion, the court also threw off a property tax amendment, Amendment 3, written by the legislature, for faulty language.

Chief Justice Charles Canady and Justice Ricky Polston, the courts conservative members, were the opposing votes on the decisions relating to Amendmetns 7 and 9. The judges also precluded the circuit court from re-addressing the challenge to Amendments 5 and 6, filed by U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown.

Posted by Mary Ellen Klas at 04:17:22 PM on August 31, 2010

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/08/supreme-court-keeps-redistricting-and-health-care-amendments-off-the-ballot.htm

August 31, 2010
Chiles expected to withdraw from governor's race

It appears that Bud Chiles' days as a candidate for governor are numbered. We are hearing considerable buzz that Chiles is calling supporters to tell them he is ending his independent bid. An announcement is likely to come Thursday.

The day of his expected announcement is not coincidental -- it's the last day before overseas ballots begin printing. Chiles' name -- the same as popular former Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles -- was expected to pull votes from Democrat Alex Sink in her battle against Republican Rick Scott.

Chiles' campaign has not confirmed the news, but the candidate himself suggested last week that he does not want to play the role of spoiler.

Several top Chiles supporters said his departure wouldn't surprise them, including Dale Fuller, executive officer of the Tallahassee Builders Association. "I was afraid it was not looking good for him," said Fuller, who is supporting Chiles personally and not in her official role.

She added: "He does have some good policies that I would hope that some other candidates would pay attention to."

Posted by John Frank at 03:34:25 PM on August 31, 2010

http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2010/08/chiles-expected-to-withdraw-from-governors-race.html#more

[Orlandodem]

1. VOTE YES ON 5 AND 6! Stop gerrymandering!!!1

[flpoljunkie]

2. Hear, hear! Vote YES on 5 and 6!