Local activists and concerned citizens turned up at a Lee County Park on Tuesday to rally against Gov. Rick Scott and the Republican Legislature for last election’s voting problems.

Gov. Scott’s message at the start of the Legislative session yesterday was that things are “working” in Florida, but a group of Lee County and Collier County residents disagree.

Protestors said the state’s election laws aren’t working.

In fact, Pete Burkert, a local attorney who volunteers his time protecting voters, said state lawmakers actually discouraged people from voting in 2012.

“Nobody should be deterred from voting because they have to wait on a line,” Berkert said. “In my opinion, the longest line you should ever have to wait in is an hour. I think everybody expects something and they don’t have a problem with an hour.”

In 2011, Scott and the Republican-led Legislature passed a law that placed more restrictions on voting. 

Among many things, the law cut early voting days throughout the state.

Social worker Catherine Hughes said that change made voting really difficult for her.

“I had to wait five hours in line,” she said. “I never had to do that in my entire life, but as you know we had some problems this past election. The governor wouldn’t extend the early voting days.  So, I thought I’d come to the rally today to show my disappointment in that.”

Fort Myers was just one of 23 cities across the state that held an “Awake the State” rally centered on voting rights on Tuesday.

Lawmakers have said they will work this session to fix Florida’s voting problems. The Florida House has already passed a law that is aimed at improving the state’s elections.