JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Voter registration drives have become battlegrounds for groups like the Florida Black Caucus to fight against what they call stiffer voting laws.
"This is serious business," said Florida Democratic Senator, Bill Nelson.
In front of a huge American flag, state lawmakers pleaded with voters to make sure they are all eligible to cast their ballot November 6th. "They've made it more difficult to register to vote. And we are talking about the essence of our democracy," said Senator Nelson.
Anyone who wants to vote in the general election must register by October 9th. That is just nine days to make sure your address is correct and that your signature on-file is up to date. "The key to election day is if you don't vote in your assigned precinct it's a provisional ballot. And a lot of those provisional ballots are thrown out," Florida Congresswoman Corrine Brown.
Early voting has been cut from 15 days down to eight which many say will hurt minority and disabled voters. But a federal judge ruled the changes are constitutional.
"I thought we went through the Civil Rights movement because of this. But here it is again trying to make it more difficult to vote," said Senator Nelson.
"We only have a week, but we have to utilize those seven days," said Congresswoman Brown. So the Florida Black Caucus are now depending on registration drives like this one to keep voters at the polls.
