Posted on Jun 13, 2022
Critics worry Florida's new elections chief will make the office more partisan
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https://www.npr.org/2022/06/13/ [login to see] /florida-secretary-of-state-cord-byrd-desantis
Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, recently tapped one of his allies in the Florida House to become the new secretary of state.
The new elections chief, Cord Byrd, has a history of sparring with Democrats and, when asked, he has refused to say Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
Voting rights advocates and some Democrats in the state say they are worried that Byrd's appointment could make the office less independent.
Before his selection for the new role, Byrd was one of the more right-wing members of the Florida House. And Abdelilah Skhir, with the ACLU of Florida, says Byrd sponsored some of the most divisive legislation in the past few years.
"This is someone who has sponsored in the past the anti-protest bill HB 1 in 2021, sponsored the anti-voter bills that passed in 2021 and 2022 — he sponsored the House versions of those bills — the trans athlete ban, anti-immigrant legislation," he says.
Skhir says Byrd also sponsored Florida's controversial Parental Rights in Education legislation, which has been derisively dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by opponents. He also sponsored a 15-week abortion ban, as well as legislation prohibiting schools and employers from discussing race.
Florida's Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, recently tapped one of his allies in the Florida House to become the new secretary of state.
The new elections chief, Cord Byrd, has a history of sparring with Democrats and, when asked, he has refused to say Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
Voting rights advocates and some Democrats in the state say they are worried that Byrd's appointment could make the office less independent.
Before his selection for the new role, Byrd was one of the more right-wing members of the Florida House. And Abdelilah Skhir, with the ACLU of Florida, says Byrd sponsored some of the most divisive legislation in the past few years.
"This is someone who has sponsored in the past the anti-protest bill HB 1 in 2021, sponsored the anti-voter bills that passed in 2021 and 2022 — he sponsored the House versions of those bills — the trans athlete ban, anti-immigrant legislation," he says.
Skhir says Byrd also sponsored Florida's controversial Parental Rights in Education legislation, which has been derisively dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" bill by opponents. He also sponsored a 15-week abortion ban, as well as legislation prohibiting schools and employers from discussing race.
Critics worry Florida's new elections chief will make the office more partisan
Posted from npr.org
State of Florida
Election 2020
Voting
Elections
Posted 2 y ago
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In (2)two days July Perry will be beaten, home burned down in Ocoee, FL ... thrown in jail in Downtown Orlando later on ... in (3) days October 4th, 1920 ... a “white mob” from Ocoee & surrounding parts will show up at the Orlando PD downtown “take” Mr. Perry from the Orlando Police Department (who was incapable of stopping the white mob??? bullshit) and lynched.
“On November 1st, the day before the election, with robes and crosses, the Klan paraded through the streets of the two Black communities in Ocoee late into the night. With megaphones they warned that “not a single Negro will be permitted to vote” and if any of them dared to do so there would be dire consequences.
Election Day came and at least some Blacks did attempt to vote in Orange County; however, none were permitted to enter their respective polling places. White enforcers camped out around the centers and poll workers were given instructions to deflect their attempts.
One-by-one would-be Black voters were turned away either by threats of violence or by poll workers who found their names “mysteriously” absent from the voter registration rolls. “
Source :
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ocoee-massacre/
“On November 1st, the day before the election, with robes and crosses, the Klan paraded through the streets of the two Black communities in Ocoee late into the night. With megaphones they warned that “not a single Negro will be permitted to vote” and if any of them dared to do so there would be dire consequences.
Election Day came and at least some Blacks did attempt to vote in Orange County; however, none were permitted to enter their respective polling places. White enforcers camped out around the centers and poll workers were given instructions to deflect their attempts.
One-by-one would-be Black voters were turned away either by threats of violence or by poll workers who found their names “mysteriously” absent from the voter registration rolls. “
Source :
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/ocoee-massacre/
Nov. 2, 1920: The Ocoee Massacre - Zinn Education Project
More than 50 African Americans killed in the Ocoee Massacre after going to vote in Florida.
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Voter suppression was spark that ignited Ocoee Massacre. A century later, Florida’s Black voters are still facing obstacles
By DESIREE STENNETT
ORLANDO SENTINEL
OCT 22, 2020 AT 5:41 AM
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/ocoee-massacre/os-ne-black-voter-suppression-ocoee-20201022-z6kwn5xuafdevlhkvy6g6effui-htmlstory.html
COLLECTION
Civil Rights History Project
Voting Rights
https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/articles-and-essays/voting-rights/
They dared to register blacks to vote, and the KKK killed them: A 52-year-old case is closed — unsolved
https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-doj-civil-rights-20160621-snap-story.html?_amp=true
Two Murders That Ignited Passage of the Voting Rights Act
https://www.thedailybeast.com/two-murders-that-ignited-passage-of-the-voting-rights-act
By DESIREE STENNETT
ORLANDO SENTINEL
OCT 22, 2020 AT 5:41 AM
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/ocoee-massacre/os-ne-black-voter-suppression-ocoee-20201022-z6kwn5xuafdevlhkvy6g6effui-htmlstory.html
COLLECTION
Civil Rights History Project
Voting Rights
https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/articles-and-essays/voting-rights/
They dared to register blacks to vote, and the KKK killed them: A 52-year-old case is closed — unsolved
https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-doj-civil-rights-20160621-snap-story.html?_amp=true
Two Murders That Ignited Passage of the Voting Rights Act
https://www.thedailybeast.com/two-murders-that-ignited-passage-of-the-voting-rights-act
Voter suppression was spark that ignited Ocoee Massacre. A century later, Florida’s Black voters...
The deadly violence that forced Ocoee’s Black residents to flee the area a century ago was, at its crux, an attempt at terrorizing people into forgoing their right to vote. But even in 2020, the long legacy of suppressing the Black vote remains alive.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel following in 45's shitty footsteps...
...""He believes in 'nationwide irregularities' in the 2020 presidential election and still refuses to acknowledge whether President Biden officially won," she wrote. "These qualities matched with the newfound voter suppression powers granted to the Secretary of State by S.B. 90 create an environment rife for voting abuse."
Similarly, Democratic Congressman Charlie Crist — a former Florida governor who is running again for the office this year — also asked DOJ officials to "consider using all available authorities and resources to protect the rights of Florida voters."
Crist said the scope of the new election crimes unit "is purposefully vague and undefined, and provides those under the purview of the Governor's office with unilateral authority and virtually no guardrails."
A lack of guardrails in general is something that Smith, with the University of Florida, says worries him. He says in the last few years the courts have sided with state officials curtailing voting rights in the state. So, even if Democrats and voting groups were to sue to stop alleged voting rights violations, it is unlikely the courts will step in.
"I think it sends a very scary signal that these elections and those who are ultimately going to be deciding the rules and umpiring are ultimately one and the same," he says."
...""He believes in 'nationwide irregularities' in the 2020 presidential election and still refuses to acknowledge whether President Biden officially won," she wrote. "These qualities matched with the newfound voter suppression powers granted to the Secretary of State by S.B. 90 create an environment rife for voting abuse."
Similarly, Democratic Congressman Charlie Crist — a former Florida governor who is running again for the office this year — also asked DOJ officials to "consider using all available authorities and resources to protect the rights of Florida voters."
Crist said the scope of the new election crimes unit "is purposefully vague and undefined, and provides those under the purview of the Governor's office with unilateral authority and virtually no guardrails."
A lack of guardrails in general is something that Smith, with the University of Florida, says worries him. He says in the last few years the courts have sided with state officials curtailing voting rights in the state. So, even if Democrats and voting groups were to sue to stop alleged voting rights violations, it is unlikely the courts will step in.
"I think it sends a very scary signal that these elections and those who are ultimately going to be deciding the rules and umpiring are ultimately one and the same," he says."
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