TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says he'll accept Florida's early voting plan for five counties covered by the federal Voting Rights Act.
    
Holder filed a response Wednesday with a three-judge panel in Washington, D.C.
    
The panel earlier ruled that a Florida law reducing early voting from 12 to eight days violated the federal law in the five covered counties.
    
The judges, though, indicated that they'd approve a plan that would still provide 96 hours of early voting - the same as under Florida's previous law - over just eight days.
    
The state plan does that with eight 12-hour days.
    
Justice Department or court preclearance of any changes in election laws are required for Hillsborough, Collier, Hendry, Hardee and Monroe counties due to past racial discrimination.

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