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Florida Attempts Improved Voter List Maintenance

The state of Florida is still trying to ensure no non-citizens have slipped onto its voter rolls.

After a rushed effort last year led to controversy, this year the state has set aside time for a step-by-step approach.

County election officials are continuing to meet in small groups with Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner to go over the details of a new system for reviewing voters' citizenship status.

"This new review of potential non-citizens will be handled on a case-by-case basis as opposed to a list." said Pam Carpenter, Alachua County supervisor of elections.

The effort has been labeled as a voter purge by critics.

"It's all about profiling, trying to figure out who shouldn't vote, not who should vote," Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Allison Tant said. "It's all about who we can keep from voting. If you have an ‘o’ or an ‘s’ at the end of your name … you might just lose your right to vote."

Carpenter said her Monday meeting with Detzner addressed issues such as how often the system will be updated to include new citizens.

Carpenter, as well as the supervisor of elections in Marion County, Wesley Wilcox, both met in Orlando with the secretary of state Monday.

"Once all of those questions are answered, we'll have a much clearer understanding of the new system and how it's going to work, and so will the state." Carpenter said.

Casey is a reporter for WUFT News and can be contacted by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.