Manatee County Board of Commissioners Reduce Precincts from 99 to 69

Florida Manatee county Republican controlled Board of Commissioners voted to reduce the number of Precincts from 99 to 69.  This appears to be another attempt by Republicans obstruct voters and rig elections

 

MikeBennett
Republican Mike Bennett

Republican Mike Bennett, in his first term as elections supervisor, proposed reducing the number of Manatee County precincts from 99 to 69. Citing decreased Election Day turnout, as more voters switch to in-person early voting and vote-by-mail options, he told the commissioners that the move would save money and allow the county to offer more early voting sites in the future.

While serving in the Florida Senate, Republican Mike Bennett endorsed making it hard to vote: “I wouldn’t have any problem making it harder. I would want them to vote as badly as I want to vote. I want the people of the state of Florida to want to vote as bad as that person in Africa who’s willing to walk 200 miles…This should not be easy.” He made that comment as he supported a voter suppression bill that reduced the number of days for early voting in Florida and helped create long lines across the state.  [Source: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/02/11/3278101/florida-county-reduces-minority-precincts/