Politics

From the county that brought us hanging chads  12 years ago -- a new voting snafu.

This time, the problem in Palm Beach County is 27,000 misprinted absentee ballots that can't be read by voting tabulation machines.

But Florida Republicans and Democrats say the situation doesn't appear as grave as the butterfly ballot fiasco that threw the 2000 Presidential Election into turmoil.

Palm Beach County GOP Chair Sid Dinerstein says when he heard about the mishap, his first reaction was, "Here we go again."

Reports surfaced this week that fraudulent voter intimidation letters have been circulating the state. The letters warn voters that they have 15 days to prove they are  citizens or they will be removed from the state's voter rolls.

This incident has prompted investigations from both state officials and federal officials.

While these sorts of  shenanigans are not uncommon during big elections, groups are already anticipating more of this when Floridians start voting at the polls tomorrow.

10/26/12- On today's Florida Roundup, we will be talking about early voting, which begins this weekend, as well as what will be on the ballot and what wasn't discussed on this Monday's presidential debate in Boca Raton.  This week's guests include Mary Ellen Klas of the Miami Herald, Jim DeFede of CBS 4, and Mike Mayo of the Sun Sentinel.

Here at WLRN-Miami Herald News we put together a guide to explain Florida's lengthy and somewhat confusing ballot measures for you. We've focused on what, exactly, the measures mean and what the policy implications are.

Advocacy groups across the state have taken it a step further. A number of organizations have developed ballot voting guides with suggestions on how to vote.  

Legal scholars at the conservative Federalist Society are heaping skepticism on the Republicans' rationale for drumming liberal Justices Barbara Pariente, Peggy Quince and R. Fred Lewis out of the Florida Supreme Court for "judicial activism."

State Sen. Nan Rich, D-Sunrise, says she hopes her colleagues in the Legislature will resolve an issue with State Attorney General Pam Bondi that is currently tying up $300 million dollars meant to help Florida homeowners hurt by the state's foreclosure crisis.

This month, WLRN, along with the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting and other NPR affiliates all over the state, gave you close look at four proposed changes to the state Constitution that Floridians will vote on in November. You can listen to and read those stories here. However, there are another 7 ballot measures that voters will get a say on here in Florida.

So, here is a breakdown of what ALL the ballot measures mean:

Amendment 1

TOPIC: Health Care

Salon profiled Florida's Amendment 6,  one of the most controversial ballot measures facing approval from Florida voters  Nov. 6.

The ballot item is aimed at removing a constitutional right to privacy currently in Florida's Constitution, but it also might cut abortion coverage in some cases for the state's public employees, Salon reports.

The amendment also has language that would prohibit the use of taxpayer money for abortions in the state.

The Florida Ethics Commission has accused Miami Republican Congressman David Rivera of 11 separate violations, including misuse of campaign funds, falsifying disclosure forms and accepting corporate money he should have known was intended to influence his votes.