Several supporters of a Florida state representative running in the Republican primary for a U.S. House seat filed a lawsuit Monday seeking to get her loss erased after the state’s signature voting software was suspended during voting in the week before the election.
Critics of Scott Plakon’s effort say that the first line of the Florida Constitution, which says that a “vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of political affiliation,” covers similar situations.
But his attorney, Robert Puentes, noted the Florida Legislature had planned to send its recommended election reforms to voters in 2016, but that was called off due to an unresolved lawsuit. Those reforms include a provision to allow a voter who registered without the use of touch-screen voting technology to cast a provisional ballot.
“This election law is a priority for the majority of people in this country,” Puentes said. “We’ll see if the courts recognize that.”
Plakon was seeking to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, but lost to Daniel Webster, a state legislator and Christian leader who was endorsed by President Donald Trump. The lawsuit states that the election could not have proceeded without “third-party integrity mechanisms” in place.
“Florida is taking steps to simply re-run the election with less technological support,” said Travis McKie, a spokesman for Plakon.
Full Sept. 12 article here.