Judge won’t delay Florida early voting lawsuit

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) _ A federal judge has denied the state's request to delay a lawsuit challenging Florida's reduction in early voting days.

The state sought a delay until June 3, about a month after the upcoming legislative session ends, to see if lawmakers restore early voting days they cut in 2011.

U.S. District Judge Timothy Corrigan in Jacksonville on Thursday wrote there's no guarantee such a law will be enacted.

U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, a Jacksonville Democrat, and other plaintiffs contend the Republican-controlled Legislature's decision to reduce early voting from 14 to eight days was discriminatory because blacks vote early in higher percentages.

Corrigan ordered pretrial disclosures and interviews to begin on Feb. 22 and be completed by Sept. 6. No trial date yet has been set.