Florida Voters in Charge Seek Extension, as Casino Petition Misses Threshold at Deadline

UPDATE 2 pm 2/2/22 – This article has been updated to include a judge’s ruling against “Florida Voters inward Charge” late Tuesday.

A $51.6 1000000 drive to pose a gambling casino gaming referendum on Florida’s 2022 general election ballot appears to experience fallen short past more than 77,000 signatures. However, proponents of the measure backed by Sands Corp. are exploring options to seek more time for officials to verify signatures on their petitions.

Tuesday afternoon was the deadline for officials inward FL to verify petition signatures for referendums, and according to the state’s Division of Elections unofficial totals, officials had verified 814,212 signatures on petitions submitted by “Florida Voters in Charge.”

The group needed 891,589 signatures from registered voters.

However, Florida Politics reported that “Florida Voters inwards Charge” filed a causa inwards Leon County, where the tell working capital capital of Florida is located, against Secretary of State Laurel Lee. The grouping seeks a judge’s say requiring officials inwards the state’s 67 counties to go on counting.

We trust we experience submitted the required keep down of voter signatures to dispose for the ballot, but wrongful delays inward processing them will take to voters non having their voices heard,” “Florida Voters inward Charge” said inward a statement Tues to Florida Politics. “This cause was filed to ensure fundamental rights are not violated and every elector theme song is counted.”

A Leon County judge denied “Florida Voters in Charge” an emergency rules of order on Tuesday.

“We believe we make submitted plenty petitions to follow validated to make believe the 2022 ballot and we are continuing to explore our options at this time,” Sarah Bascomb, a representative for “Florida Voters in Charge” told Casino.org on Wednesday.

If it were to let on the ballot, voters would make up one's mind whether to amend the FL Old Ironsides to appropriate Las Vegas-style casinos inwards locations more than 130 miles from all Seminole Gaming facilities. That would essentially limit the casinos to the northern half of the state.

Lawsuits Filed by Proponents, Opponents

The military campaign has been a bitter fight back betwixt proponents for expanded gaming inwards the country and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which opposes the measure.

“Florida Voters in Charge” filed a suit against “Standing Up for Florida,” claiming the Seminole-backed organization harassed and intimidated petition gatherers. In response, “Standing Up for Florida” countersued, claiming petition gatherers for the Sands-backed grouping forged signatures on petitions and paid gatherers for signatures they received. “Standing Up for Florida” also contends that petition-gatherers also ruined sheets that included incomplete entropy or illegible signatures, which violates say law.

According to take the field donation records kept past the FL Department of Elections, “Florida Voters inward Charge” received $51.6 million. The Poarch Creek Band of Indians, an Alabama-based tribe, contributed $2 billion to the campaign. Sands gave more than $49.5 million.

Casino Measure Also Short on Second Threshold

Getting 891,589 signatures – a sum representing 8 percent of the ballots cast of characters past Florida voters inwards the 2020 presidential election – was just one of II thresholds proponents needful to receive inward say to get under one's skin the evaluate on the ballot.

Florida natural law also requires groups to encounter the same 8 percent signature tune limen in 14 of the state’s 27 congressional districts. According to information from body politic elections officials, “Florida Voters inwards Charge” is also short of that mark. Through Tuesday, proponents surpassed the required signatures inwards just now 10 of the districts.

The gambling casino value was single of ii gaming-related initiatives proposed for the 2022 ballot. Last week, “Florida Education Champions” conceded its petition motor to legalize sports betting statewide would not meet the signature requirement past Tuesday.

Through Tuesday, that $37 trillion campaign, funded mainly past FanDuel and DraftKings, had less than 515,000 signatures validated.