Get 2020 elections right, Gov. DeSantis. Florida’s tired of being nation’s punchline | Editorial

Florida now has a fighting chance in an election cycle facing unfathomable challenges that couldn’t be foreseen just six months ago.

The DeSantis administration has requested more than $20 million in federal stimulus funds to ensure that Floridians who want to safely vote, starting with the August elections, will have that opportunity, despite coronavirus pandemic. That’s exactly what the state’s goal should be.

“We are requesting the full amount of the award, $20,253,853, at this time. We will use the funds to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally, for the 2020 federal election cycle,” wrote Laurel M. Lee, Florida’s secretary to state to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

“We are already working closely with our local election officials to preliminarily assess their needs in the upcoming elections to allocate funds in a manner that best serves the individual county’s voter community, ensures the health, safety and well-being of voters and the election workforce, including poll workers, and provide for fair, accessible and secure elections.”

But the state, admittedly subsumed in the coronavirus pandemic, still lagged so many other states in getting the jump on ensuring elections that are safe — though Florida also is lagging dangerously in securing federal funds for election security, too.

The state’s request for COVID-19 funds, coming on May 15, made Florida one of the last four states to seek them. It came two days after election supervisors, concerned by the state’s sluggishness, sent the governor a straightforward letter telling him just what was at stake if Florida did not soon secure those funds. When the federal check clears, funding should be disbursed quickly and efficiently so that the locals can get started.

Supervisors’ May 13 letter followed their request the month before that Gov. DeSantis grant them, through executive order, the ability to pivot when they have to and the flexibility to respond to voting challenges unique to their communities.

DeSantis has yet to fulfill their requests — and he should, immediately. Clearly, having to manage Florida’s COVID-19 pandemic was all-consuming. Still, the governor found time to jet to the White House and fly around the state to make announcements he could have made from Tallahassee. He must make time for this now. The August elections will be here in the blink of an eye. And November will be hot on their heels.

In April, supervisors wrote to DeSantis: “All 67 Florida counties successfully completed the March 17, 2020 Presidential Preference Primary. However, due to the COVID-19 situation and concerns of the public, Supervisors of Elections encountered significant challenges with polling places becoming unavailable, difficulty in acquiring hand sanitizer and other supplies, and substantial numbers of poll workers deciding not to work, many at the last minute.”

Among the supervisors’ requests: Allow each supervisor to designate additional or alternative early-voting site locations; allow counties the option of beginning early voting up to 22 days prior to the August and November elections; suspend the requirement that the supervisor mail vote-by-mail ballots within two days after receiving a request and allow for three business days to mail.

These are all logical, common-sense requests from the pros laboring on the ground. Too much time has elapsed in giving supervisors what they need. The governor needs to come through for them — and Florida’s voters — immediately.

This story was originally published May 31, 2020 at 6:00 AM.