News

Florida Secretary of State revokes 2014 ban of early polling sites on public colleges and universities

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 2, 2018

Upper Saddle River, NJ – In response to the lawsuit, in which The Andrew Goodman Foundation serves as co-plaintiff, Florida Secretary of State Kenneth Detzner has issued a statement revoking his 2014 ban of early polling sites on public college and university campuses. Detzner’s agreement to comply with U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s July 24 injunction represents a major victory for student voting rights as the 2018 Midterm elections approach.

Detzner’s memorandum, dated July 27, 2018, to the Supervisors of Elections in Florida advises them that his previous advisory was determined to be unconstitutional based on the ruling by Florida U.S. District Judge Mark Walker. Any location that otherwise qualifies under the state’s early voting law may now serve as an early polling site, regardless of its relation to a public college or university campus. This includes public library facilities, fairgrounds, civic centers, stadiums, and government-owned community centers, including those located on the grounds of educational institutions.

“We are happy to hear this news,” said David Goodman, the President of The Andrew Goodman Foundation. “At The Andrew Goodman Foundation, we are committed to upholding the voting rights of students across the country. Detzner’s repeal of his ban on campus-based early polling sites expands access for hundreds of thousands of students in Florida. The students in our Vote Everywhere program in Florida have been working hard to ensure equal access for students at the polls, and Detzner’s recent statement shows their work is paying off.”

An op-ed by Megan Newsome, a former Andrew Goodman Vote Everywhere Ambassador at the University of Florida, led to the filing of the lawsuit by the plaintiffs. “We are very proud of Megan,” said Margaret Sasser, Vote Everywhere Program Manager, “her op-ed and her participation in the lawsuit as a co-plaintiff is exactly the kind of student civic action that Vote Everywhere works to empower.”

The new statement issued by Detzner will stand until the final court order is issued. While the directive does not come in time for the Aug. 28 Florida primaries, students across Florida remain hopeful to see on-campus polling sites by the 2018 midterm elections.

About The Andrew Goodman Foundation

Established to continue the legacy of Andrew Goodman, a civil rights worker murdered during Freedom Summer 1964, The Andrew Goodman Foundation partners with America’s colleges and universities through its Vote Everywhere program which provides student leaders with a platform to register and mobilize voters, organize campuses, and collaborate with their peers.

###

CONTACT:
Justyna Krygowska, Communications Director
Justyna.Krygowska@andrewgoodman.org