Florida's top election official rejects call to count all mail ballots by hand

"Hand-counting millions of mail ballots would be unwieldy and create problems, Secretary of State Cord Byrd told state Rep. Meg Weinberger, a Palm Beach County Republican who raised the issue. Byrd said hand-counting would be less accurate than the electronic equipment Florida election supervisors use for tabulation. And, he said it would delay election results. At the same legislative hearing at which Byrd knocked down the notion of hand-counting ballots, he suggested he was readying a proposal that would provide something the MAGA movement wants."

"He didn't offer details, and declined a lawmaker's request to elaborate, but he suggested it could involve additional verification of citizenship and could affect driver's licenses, which are the most commonly used form of voter identification. The vast majority of people who register to vote do so while getting their licenses, Byrd said. The secretary of state's comments on both issues came as he delivered a lengthy presentation to and answered questions from members of the Florida House Government Operations Subcommittee."

"Byrd performed a balancing act between many in his party's base, including some elected officials, who distrust voting systems and reassuring Florida voters that elections in the state can be trusted. The Sunshine State was the subject of nationwide ridicule in the aftermath of the disputed George W. Bush-Al Gore presidential election in 2000. Now, Byrd said, "Everybody's interested in knowing how Florida conducts its elections so well.""

Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd rejected hand-counting all vote-by-mail ballots as unwieldy, less accurate than electronic tabulation and likely to delay results. Byrd indicated he is preparing an unspecified proposal that could include additional citizenship verification and potential effects on driver's licenses, noting most voter registrations occur during license transactions. Byrd answered questions at a Florida House Government Operations Subcommittee hearing while attempting to reassure voters about election integrity and address skepticism within his party's MAGA base. He referenced Florida's post-2000 reputation and emphasized the state's effective election conduct.

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