A Florida judge has denied Democrats’ plea for more voting time in Broward County, which according to a motion by challenger Charlie Crist had been plagued by voting system problems and confusion.
Mr. Crist, a former governor and Republican-turned Democrat, does not plan to appeal the decision, according to CNN.
Early returns show the race between Mr. Crist and Republican Gov. Rick Scott is a dead heat, proving that Florida may once again be at the epicenter of a protracted fight over the results.
The Florida Democratic Party had asked the supervision of elections in Broward County — one of the contested locales at the center of the Bush-Gore fight in 2000 — to keep the polls open until 9 p.m. “to allow voters and meaningful opportunity to cast their votes.”
In support of their motion, the party said some ballot systems in the county were not working and that redistricting made it difficult for some voters to find their polling place.
“If the court does not immediately issue an order requiring defendant to extend the voting hours, a number of Florida citizens’ right to vote in the 2014 election will be forever lost,” they wrote.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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