PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. ā Republican Gov. Rick Scott and his opponent in the midterm election race for a Senate seat Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson have pending cases alleging ballots were mishandled. Ā
In one of Scott's lawsuits, Palm Beach County supervisor of elections' was unable to meet her 7 p.m. Friday deadline toĀ provide ballot information and she was requesting an emergency hearing.Ā
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Palm Beach County Elections Supervisor Susan Bucher's attorneys filed a motion to request a hearing for emergency reconsideration, Palm Beach's ABC News affiliate WPBFĀ reported.Ā Ā
Meanwhile, Scott's campaign released a statement saying Bucher was refusing to comply with the court order "to submit overvotes and undervotes to the Palm Beach County Canvassing Board for review."
The Palm Beach canvassing board began reviewing ballots at 10 a.m., and the Palm Beach Post reported the process continued on Friday night.Ā Bucher also has aĀ 12 p.m. Saturday deadline to submit unofficial midterm electionĀ results.Ā
Nelson's campaign andĀ and the Democratic Executive Committee of Florida filed a lawsuit against Florida Secretary of State Ken Detzner over a "complete lack of uniformity" in the handling ofĀ vote-by-mail ballots and the signature matching process that is used to validate them. Nelson wants those ballots to count.Ā
"This entirely standardless, inconsistent, and unreliable signature matching process, which has a disparate impact on People of Color and young, first time voters, violates the prohibition against undue burdens on the right to vote,"Ā the lawsuit says.
Former Rep. Patrick Murphy of Palm Beach Gardens, a Democrat, reported on Twitter to Politico's Marc Caputo that his ballot was not counted because of an "invalid signature" match.Ā
"Must overhaul these ridiculous barriers to voting," Murphy wrote.Ā
MIDTERM ELECTION DATES
Nov. 10: Unofficial results are due by 12 p.m.Ā
Nov. 15: Machine recounts are due by 3 p.m.Ā
Nov. 16: Military/overseas counted
Nov. 18: Hand recount due by 12 p.m.Ā
Nov. 20: Results are certified