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Officials Visit Scott to Ask for Extended Early Voting

A group of elected and civil rights leaders showed up unexpectedly in Governor Rick Scott's office Monday. 

They want him to extend early voting in Florida from eight to twelve days for November's presidential election. 

Their move followed Friday's ruling by three federal judges that a state law passed last year would unfairly reduce minority voter turnout. 

The judges found black voters use early voting more – in a ruling dealing with five Florida counties that are under federal scrutiny for compliance with the Voting Rights Act. 

State Senator Arthenia  Joyner, a Tampa Democrat from one of those counties – Hillsborough  says,  "I take the position that even though the other 62 counties are not covered under the Voting Rights Act, that they should be a separate lawsuit dealing with Florida in its entirety. Because you know that there is a heightened likelihood that this prevails in every county in Florida." 

The ruling also affects Collier, Monroe, Hardee and Hendry counties. 

The group asked to meet with Scott. While Scott didn’t make time to meet with the group, he did make a top aide available to the group to hear their concerns.

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