Pending bill has election activists worried for disabled and Spanish-speaking voters as assistance at the polls might not exists for next vote

Election reform groups are calling a new bill sponsored by FL Sen. Jack Latvala a violation of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Under provision HB 7013 of the proposal, those wishing to assist voters- be they elderly, disabled, or non native English speakers- can only help a maximum of 10 voters during an election. Additionally, the person providing assistance must already know the voter.

Many of the bill’s detractors fear the impact such measures might have on Florida’s large Hispanic and Creole communities. The Tampa Bay Times reports:

Sen. Oscar Braynon, D-Miami Gardens, who unsuccessfully sought to remove the provision from the Senate bill, said one reason for historically long lines at the polls in Miami-Dade last fall was that too few volunteers were available to assist Haitian voters who only speak Creole.

The bill will go to final vote this Wednesday.