WHEREAS,
regardless of the outcome of the election, all Floridians would benefit from an immediate review of the State's election procedures, standards and technology, and 

WHEREAS,
any review of the State's election procedures, standards and technology should be conducted on a non-partisan basis in an effort to ensure the highest level of public confidence in Florida's system for conducting elections; 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JEB BUSH, ,
Governor of the State of Florida, by the powers vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of Florida, do hereby promulgate the following executive order, effective immediately: 

Section 1. 

A.There is hereby created the Select Task Force on Election Procedures, Standards and Technology. 

B. The Select Task Force shall be comprised of no more than 21 members, ten of whom shall be Republicans, ten of whom shall be Democrats and one of whom shall be affiliated with neither party. At least two of the members shall be representatives from a county Supervisor of Elections Office, and four members shall be legislators, a Republican and Democrat from the Florida House of Representatives and a Republican and Democrat from the Florida Senate. The Governor shall designate two members, of different parties, to serve as Co-Chairpersons. Select Task Force members shall receive no compensation, but shall be entitled to per diem and travel expenses while attending meetings of the Select Task Force, to the extent allowed by Section 112.061, Florida Statutes. Per diem and travel expenses shall be paid by the Secretary of State's Office in accordance with Chapter 112, Florida Statutes. The Select Task Force may include an executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the Co-Chairpersons and the Secretary of State's Division of Elections will provide technical assistance. The Select Task Force may also call upon experts to testify, and such experts shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses of attending Select Task Force meetings. 

C. The Select Task Force shall act by a vote of the majority of its members. A quorum of at least eleven members shall be required for an act of the Select Task Force to have effect. No member may grant a proxy for his or her vote to any other member except with the prior approval of the Co-Chairpersons. 

D. The first meeting of the Select Task Force shall be held no later than January 3, 2001. 

Section 2. 

The Select Task Force shall study and make written policy recommendations and/or propose legislation to improve the election procedures, standards and technology employed in each of Florida's 67 counties. Such recommendations and/or proposed legislation shall be submitted by March 1, 2001, to the Governor, the President of the Florida Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Secretary of State. In the interest of facilitating immediate action during the 2001 Legislative Session, the two Co-Chairpersons shall limit the scope of the Select Task Force's study and written policy recommendations to those issues which can, in the opinion of both Co-Chairpersons, be manageably addressed by the entire Select Task Force within the time limits set herein. The Co-Chairpersons shall, in addition, identify any issues raised by Select Task Force members which cannot be manageably addressed, but which may merit further study or examination in an alternative forum at a later time. 

Section 3. 

All agencies under the control of the Governor are directed, and all other agencies are requested, to render full assistance and cooperation to the Select Task Force. 

Section 4. 

The Select Task Force shall continue in existence only until its objectives are achieved, but not later than March 1, 2001. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and have caused the Great Seal of the State of Florida to be affixed at Tallahassee, the Capitol, this 14th day of December, 2000.