Black state lawmakers: Changes to Florida’s election laws won’t stop vote

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - - Black state lawmakers gathered at the Capitol to proclaim changes to Florida’s election laws won’t keep them from voting. 

The new law shortens the number of early voting days from 14 to 8 and eliminates one Sunday from the voting period. 

In 2008 Souls to the Polls campaigns took thousand of black voters from church to the ballot box.  State Senator Arthenia Joyner, a Democrat from Tampa, says even though there are fewer days to vote, black Floridians won’t be discouraged.

 “We are aware of the fact that there is a premeditated design by some folks to suppress the vote in the black community and consequently we are not going to let that happen,” Joyner said.

The black leaders are hoping to win court challenges against the new election law, but say regardless of what happens, the black vote will remain a factor in Florida.