Last year, the corrupt Republicans in the Florida Legislature, faced with a history of long lines and delays in 2006 early voting (where voting places were authorized to stay open as long as 12 hours per day), passed laws limiting early voting hours to no more than 8 hours per day, and reducing the number of early voting locations. Having already eliminated paperless voting, they wanted to prevent Democrats from using early voting as a means to increase their numbers among elected officials.
Today Charlie Crist undid some of that.
Spurned by John McCain for Vice President -- after Charlie had even announced his engagement to marry a woman during the primaries(!) -- and moved by the long lines of frustrated early voters waiting all day to vote and still being unable to do so because of an inadequate number of working voting machines, Crist extended voting hours from 8 to 12 hours per day, by executive order.
''It's not a political decision,'' Crist said moments after signing the order, which declares a state of emergency in Florida. ``It's a people decision.''
Crist said he made the decision after seeing numerous news reports about long lines and after he had a conversation with state House Democratic leader Dan Gelber of Miami Beach. Crist's appointed secretary of state, Kurt Browning, had rejected the idea of extending the early voting hours earlier this week.
Could Crist face punishment from his Republican legislature and the theocon base in Florida? Is it too little too late?
Will this act cause his fiancee to leave him?
No one can say for sure.
I can only be certain that every hour of extended early voting means more votes for Barack Obama in Florida.
And that's a good thing!
UPDATE:
Props to this BREAKING diary containing the complete executive order, posted while I was composing this trifle.