A federal judge in Tallahassee has demonstrated common sense and an appreciation for the law and the clock with his twin rulings bolstering voting rights in Florida. The recent orders will give more voters a voice in this year's elections and provide the Legislature with a framework for ensuring that contested ballots are not so easily disregarded in the future by local elections offices. The court intervened in an appropriate and timely way to preserve the rights of all voters.
In his first ruling on Oct. 12, U.S. District Judge Mark Walker extended by six days the window for Floridians to register to vote. Walker had already extended the deadline a single day in response to the widespread disruption caused by Hurricane Matthew. The Florida Democratic Party sued Republican Gov. Rick Scott, faulting his refusal to extend the deadline even as the governor ordered 1.5 million residents to evacuate in advance of Matthew. Walker, appointed by President Barack Obama, ruled Scott was not a party to the case because he lacked the authority to extend the deadline. But he was right to see the substantive issue by granting a narrow and orderly timeline for affected residents to enlist in the electoral process.
In a second ruling last weekend, Walker ordered state elections officials to accommodate mail-in ballots submitted by voters who provided signatures that did not match the ones on file. Voters who forget to sign mail-in ballots have a chance to correct the problem. But those found by local elections boards of having signed with a signature different from the one on record are not afforded the same opportunity. Walker ordered the state to direct elections officials in Florida's 67 counties to notify voters who supply mismatched signatures and allow them to sign an affidavit attesting to their identity. That process already is in place for voters who don't sign their ballots.
Walker correctly found that the existing rule constituted an "illogical, irrational and patently bizarre" double standard, which allowed Florida to "categorically" exclude thousands of voters "for no reason other than they have poor handwriting." Democrats had argued the practice hurt them the most, citing findings in a University of Florida study that examined the rejection of ballots in the larger counties, including Pinellas and Hillsborough.
But the blanket rejection is a practice that threatens voters of all parties. Walker's order for a remedy was fair and practical. While the order puts a new onus on county elections supervisors, officials have shown over the years they can easily adapt to changes in technology, in forms of voting and other mechanics associated with running an election.
Walker's order is in keeping with the spirit of democracy, the principle of one-person, one-vote and the mission of election supervisors. It's only a shame his twin orders did not come at the governor's behest. Regardless of his authority, Scott rejected calls in the wake of the storm to extend the deadline for voters to register. Walker also blasted Scott's hand-picked state elections chief last week, saying Secretary of State Ken Detzner was stalling and playing games on the ballot issue, threatening to "deprive Florida citizens of their most precious right." These rulings are a victory for voters of every political persuasion, and the Legislature should follow up by placing the new procedures in state law. That way, it won't require a federal case next time for a vote to count.