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Elections Supervisors Respond To Demand For Documents

Collier County Supervisor of Elections Jennifer Edwards says she’ll have no problem meeting the Justice Department’s Aug. 15 deadline for election records.

The documentation request made on July 31 is related to a statewide effort to remove non-citizens from voter rolls.

Edwards says her office has contacted 27 questionable voters. One responded with proof of citizenship.  Many did not respond to a certified letter.  And, some called to explain how they were erroneously enrolled to vote – via the motor voter bill.

“They thought they were just getting their driver’s license, they didn’t mean to register to vote.   They didn’t know they were signing a voter registration application form. That may be a communication issue …because of difference in language perhaps ” she said.

Lee County’s Elections Supervisor was also told to provide copies of the documents.  Many county elections offices stopped contacting voters from a list supplied by the state in June when the U.S. Dept. of Justice intervened saying it was illegal to do so within 90 days of an election. 

Valerie Alker hosts All Things Considered. She has been a Reporter/Producer and program host at WGCU since 1991. She reports on general news topics in Southwest Florida and has also produced documentaries for WGCU-TV’s former monthly environmental documentary programs In Focus on the Environment and Earth Edition. Valerie also helps supervise WGCU news interns and contributes to NPR programs.