Florida Creates Barriers to Voting and Burdens Non-Partisan Voter Registration Groups in New Anti-Voter Law

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Today, the Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law an anti-voter bill that imposes fines and burdens on non-partisan voter registration groups, while creating barriers to absentee voting.

S.B. 7050 forces non-partisan voter registration groups to conduct background checks on voters’ eligibility and to return ballot applications within specified time frames to avoid up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines. The law also narrows the time frame for absentee voting and requires an emergency excuse for picking up an absentee ballot. It includes a provision that requires a confusing disclaimer on voter information cards claiming the card is not proof of voting eligibility.

“Florida anti-voter politicians are trying to deny their constituents their right to participate in our government by creating barriers to voting and imposing excessive punishments on the good Samaritans who are trying to simply help their neighbors vote,” said Jonathan Webber, Florida policy director for the SPLC Action Fund. “This bill infringes against the spirit of American democracy while creating cruel burdens for volunteers who help their communities, and it cannot be allowed to stand.”