Voting rules to change for 2012

If you haven’t checked your voter status, now would be a good time to do so, because rules have changed.
“If voters have moved, changed their name or had a life event that has changed their signature since the last election, they need to update this information with the elections office,” said Susan Gill, Citrus County Supervisor of Elections.
Gill’s office sent out a mass mailing to voters, but will send new cards in June when changed redistricting numbers will be known so voters will know where to vote. A new law also affects voters.
In May, the Florida Legislature passed House Bill 1355. It reduces the days of early voting from 14 to eight, requires some voters who have moved to cast provisional ballots, tightens the time for third-party groups to submit voter registration forms and reduces the time that signatures on citizen-led ballot initiatives are valid.
The purpose of the law according to its sponsor, state Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, is to ensure transparency in the voting process.
Florida is among about 30 states to enact or attempt to enact such a law, according to five Florida Democrat members of the U.S. House of Representatives, who are among 39 House members seeking an investigation into the new voting laws.
Gov. Rick Scott signed the 158-page bill into law May 19. Here’s what it does, according to the website of the supervisor of elections:
n Reduces early voting to eight days. Early voting will begin on Saturday and end the following Saturday before the election on Tuesday. Operating hours are to be no less than six hours and no more than 12.
n Changes the Primary Election to 12 weeks before the General Election. This places the Primary Election for 2012 on Aug. 14.
n Requires voters who move into Citrus County from another Florida county and change their address at the polls on Election Day to vote a provisional ballot.
n Requires third-party voter registration organizations to register each agent who will register a person to vote with the Division of Elections before engaging in any voter registration activities. It must submit registrations to the elections office within 48 hours.
n Sets absentee requests to two election cycles, which means if you request an absentee ballot, it will be for 2012 and 2014 unless you request otherwise.
Chronicle reporter Chris Van Or-mer can be reached at cvanormer@ chronicleonline.com or (352) 564-2916.