Florida to investigate voting problems

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla., Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The Florida secretary of state has announced an investigation into voting problems in five counties in this year's presidential race.

Secretary of State Ken Detzner said he will visit Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and St. Lucie counties on the east coast and Lee County on the west coast next week, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

On Nov. 6, some voters in Miami were still waiting in line after midnight, while Broward and Lee also had long lines. In Palm Beach County, thousands of absentee ballots with misprints were mailed out, while St. Lucie's votes were still being counted after a state deadline.

One general problem in Florida was a long ballot with 11 amendments to the state constitution. A total of 8.5 million people voted, a historic turnout.

"It was kind of a perfect storm with the turnout and the length of the ballot," Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said."It was kind of a perfect storm with the turnout and the length of the ballot," Pasco County Supervisor of Elections Brian Corley said.

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney only conceded Florida to President Obama on Nov. 8, two days after the election. Republican U.S. Rep. Allen West, running in a district that includes part of St. Lucie County, conceded on Nov. 20 that he had lost a close race with Patrick Murphy.