Republican-backed law limits absentee voting in Florida
3 years, 10 months ago

Republican-backed law limits absentee voting in Florida

Al Jazeera  

Voting rights advocates have filed legal challenges to the law, which they say will make voting more difficult. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a law curtailing access to absentee ballots and adding new hurdles to the process of submitting them, the latest Republican-backed voting restrictions to become law in the United States since the 2020 presidential election. @NAACP_LDF https://t.co/ylAkbBk9FV — Sherrilyn Ifill May 6, 2021 The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s, Disability Rights Florida and the government accountability group Common Cause immediately filed a lawsuit challenging the law, which they argued, “violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act”. “The law’s suppressive and discriminatory provisions make it clear that the Florida Legislature’s goal is to erect additional hurdles to inhibit Florida voters, especially disabled voters,” Morris said in the Thursday statement. In March, Georgia’s Republican governor signed a law that tightened absentee ballot identification requirements, restricted ballot drop box use and allowed a Republican-controlled state agency to take over local voting operations.

Law Georgia Florida Rights Voting Election Democrats Republican Voters Ballots Ballot Desantis Voting Rights Advocates Naacp Limits Absentee  voters  republicanbacked  election  florida  rights  voting  ballot  limits  absentee  states  law  ballots

History of this topic

Florida defeats abortion ballot measure to keep six-week ban in place
4 months, 1 week ago

Florida defeats abortion ballot measure to keep six-week ban in place

Daily Mail  

An amendment to protect abortion rights in Florida and end the state's six week abortion ban failed to pass meaning the state's ban will remain in place. 'Yes on 4' campaign material to end Florida's six week abortion ban with an amendment to the state's constitution. The amendment failed to reach the 60 percent threshold to pass The amendment would …

Swing county absentee voters urged to vote on Election Day amid mail flub and late ruling
4 months, 1 week ago

Swing county absentee voters urged to vote on Election Day amid mail flub and late ruling

Raw Story  

The American Civil Liberties Union is urging absentee voters in a crucial swing state county to vote on Election Day following a last-minute ruling from the state's Supreme Court. On Monday, the ACLU said in a statement that the Georgia Supreme Court blocked relief for Cobb County voters who didn't receive their absentee ballots in time for the election. "Because …

Florida felons could get a bit more clarity on their voting rights with a new proposal
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Florida felons could get a bit more clarity on their voting rights with a new proposal

NPR  

Florida felons could get a bit more clarity on their voting rights with a new proposal toggle caption Marta Lavandier/AP Election officials in Florida say they are working to “streamline” a process for formerly incarcerated people to figure out whether they are eligible to vote in the state. But we do know that there are hundreds of thousands of folks …

Video of Florida voter registration drive used to mislead on proof of citizenship question
55 years, 2 months ago

Video of Florida voter registration drive used to mislead on proof of citizenship question

Associated Press  

CLAIM: A video shows a worker at a voter registration drive in Florida registering people to vote without asking for proof of citizenship. THE FACTS: Shortly before the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote, social media users shared a video of a voter registration drive in Palm Beach, Florida, …

Florida’s Democrats were in chaos. Then the abortion bans came along
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Florida’s Democrats were in chaos. Then the abortion bans came along

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. And Florida’s Democratic Party finds itself under the new leadership of Nikki Fried, who …

Restrictions on absentee ballot help in Alabama are being challenged in a lawsuit
11 months, 1 week ago

Restrictions on absentee ballot help in Alabama are being challenged in a lawsuit

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An Alabama law that criminalizes certain types of assistance with absentee ballot applications is being challenged in court by groups who say it “turns civic and neighborly voter engagement into a serious crime.” The Alabama State Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters, and other groups are plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed in federal court. …

A judge has declined to block parts of Georgia’s election law while legal challenges play out
1 year, 5 months ago

A judge has declined to block parts of Georgia’s election law while legal challenges play out

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — A federal judge in Georgia has declined to block several provisions of a sweeping election law while legal challenges play out. Several voting advocacy and civil rights groups, as well as the U.S. Department of Justice, sued in 2021 after Republican state lawmakers passed the measure less than six months after former President Donald Trump narrowly lost the …

Florida GOP send "egregious" voter suppression bill to Ron DeSantis
1 year, 10 months ago

Florida GOP send "egregious" voter suppression bill to Ron DeSantis

Salon  

This article originally appeared at Common Dreams. 7050 would boost the power of Florida's Office of Election Crimes and Security to review and conduct preliminary investigations into "any alleged election irregularity" and "make referrals for further legal action." Mary Kay Rosinski, co-president of the League of Women Voters Villages/Tri-County, noted that the bill would: Create more barriers to conducting voter …

Panel: Florida election law didn’t target Black voters
1 year, 10 months ago

Panel: Florida election law didn’t target Black voters

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal appeals court upheld a Florida election law Thursday that a lower court had ruled was aimed at suppressing Black voters. Florida’s Republican-led Legislature has joined several others around the country in passing election reforms after Republican former President Donald Trump made unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. “We are deeply disappointed …

Disabled Wisconsin voters say absentee law not followed
1 year, 11 months ago

Disabled Wisconsin voters say absentee law not followed

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Disabled voters say local election leaders across Wisconsin are not following federal law during early voting in the high-stakes race for state Supreme Court, incorrectly telling them they can’t have another person return their absentee ballot for them. Wisconsin Republicans successfully sued last year to ban absentee ballot drop boxes, and the conservative-controlled state Supreme Court ruled …

Mississippi sets tighter restrictions on absentee ballots
1 year, 11 months ago

Mississippi sets tighter restrictions on absentee ballots

Associated Press  

— Mississippi will set tighter restrictions on who can gather other people’s absentee ballots, under a bill that Gov. The Republican governor said the law, which takes effect July 1, will ban political operatives from collecting and handling large numbers of absentee ballots. Opponents said the new restrictions could hurt candidates, campaign workers, nursing home employees or others who make …

Michigan lawmakers approve early absentee ballot processing
2 years, 5 months ago

Michigan lawmakers approve early absentee ballot processing

Associated Press  

LANSING, Mich. — Michigan election officials would begin processing absentee ballots two days before the Nov. 8 election under legislation approved Wednesday in hopes of avoiding delays in counting, with absentee voting expected to remain a popular option. Michigan is one of several key swing states that allows no-excuse mail-in ballots but doesn’t allow local election offices to begin processing …

Initiatives battle for voter rights in Michigan
2 years, 8 months ago

Initiatives battle for voter rights in Michigan

Associated Press  

LANSING, Mich. — An effort to lock certain voting rights in the Michigan Constitution has taken a major step toward the fall ballot, eclipsing a rival campaign led by Republicans to limit absentee voting and add other restrictions. The ballot question would expand voter rights by allowing nine days of in-person early voting, state-funded absentee ballot postage and drop boxes …

Judge strikes down parts of Florida election law; cites race
2 years, 11 months ago

Judge strikes down parts of Florida election law; cites race

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge struck down portions of a Florida election law passed last year, saying in a ruling Thursday that the Republican-led government was using subtle tactics to suppress Black voters. The law tightened rules on mailed ballots, drop boxes and other popular election methods — changes that made it more difficult for Black voters who, overall, …

Citing race, a federal judge strikes down parts of a 2021 Florida election law
2 years, 11 months ago

Citing race, a federal judge strikes down parts of a 2021 Florida election law

NPR  

Citing race, a federal judge strikes down parts of a 2021 Florida election law Enlarge this image toggle caption David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP, File David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP, File TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge struck down portions of a Florida election law passed last year, saying in a ruling Thursday that the Republican-led government was using subtle …

NY expands absentee voting after defeat of ballot measure
3 years, 1 month ago

NY expands absentee voting after defeat of ballot measure

Associated Press  

ALBANY, N.Y. — New Yorkers can again choose to vote by absentee rather than face the risk of catching COVID-19 at polling sites through the rest of 2022 under a bill that Gov. The Conservative Party’s ads argued that same day voter registration and expanded absentee voting would weaken election security. New York still took some steps to make voting …

‘Cannot wait for Washington:’ Voting rights activists scramble to navigate new restrictions ahead of November elections
3 years, 5 months ago

‘Cannot wait for Washington:’ Voting rights activists scramble to navigate new restrictions ahead of November elections

CNN  

CNN — When activist Tammye Pettyjohn Jones knocks on voters’ doors in her rural corner of Georgia this month, she’ll have a new tool in hand: a portable printer. A sweeping voting law Georgia enacted this year now requires voters who do not have a driver’s license or state ID to provide a copy of another form of identification with …

Wisconsin disabled community opposes election law changes
3 years, 10 months ago

Wisconsin disabled community opposes election law changes

Associated Press  

MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin voters with disabilities urged lawmakers on Wednesday to reconsider two Republican-backed bills passed by the state Senate that would make it more difficult to cast absentee ballots as part of the broader GOP push to make it harder to vote by mail following Donald Trump’s defeat. One of the measures that the Wisconsin Senate passed on …

Florida gov signs GOP voting law critics call ‘un-American’
3 years, 10 months ago

Florida gov signs GOP voting law critics call ‘un-American’

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a wide-ranging list of new voting restrictions into law Thursday, staging a misleading, made-for-TV ceremony meant to tout his credentials on a top priority for the Republican Party’s conservative base. At a live bill-signing event aired exclusively on Fox News, DeSantis said the new law would prevent fraud and restore confidence in …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs restrictive voting bill
3 years, 10 months ago

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs restrictive voting bill

CNN  

CNN — Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday morning signed into law a controversial voting bill aimed at curbing access to mail-in voting in the state, joining a host of other GOP-led states pushing new limits in connection with former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election. A separate lawsuit filed Thursday morning by Common …

Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Florida Voting Restrictions Into Law
3 years, 10 months ago

Gov. Ron DeSantis Signs Florida Voting Restrictions Into Law

NPR  

Ron DeSantis Signs Florida Voting Restrictions Into Law ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Florida is the latest state to enact new voting restrictions. WLRN's Danny Rivero covers voting in Florida and joins us on Skype. It limits how many ballots someone might be able to collect from someone who's not in their family, which is the way a lot of people with …

Florida Governor Signs Law That Limits Voting By Mail And Ballot Drop Boxes
3 years, 10 months ago

Florida Governor Signs Law That Limits Voting By Mail And Ballot Drop Boxes

NPR  

Florida Governor Signs Law That Limits Voting By Mail And Ballot Drop Boxes Enlarge this image toggle caption Joe Raedle/Getty Images Joe Raedle/Getty Images Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law Thursday new election legislation that places restrictions on ballot drop boxes and residents' ability to vote by mail. Florida's law is the latest Republican-led effort to alter state voting …

‘Jim Crow 2.0’: Anger as Florida becomes latest state to reduce voting access
3 years, 10 months ago

‘Jim Crow 2.0’: Anger as Florida becomes latest state to reduce voting access

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Florida’s Senate has advanced a bill that would restrict voting …

Florida Senate Passes Bill Restricting Voting Rights
3 years, 10 months ago

Florida Senate Passes Bill Restricting Voting Rights

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Florida’s state Senate has passed a bill that includes a number of voter suppression initiatives, following Georgia’s lead in chipping away at voting rights. “Between Georgia and Florida, I really need to go check to see if we ever left the Jim Crow era, because there’s a lot of goal post moving happening.” By a vote of …

Florida advances bill to limit voting by mail and use of drop boxes in latest bid to restrict election access
3 years, 10 months ago

Florida advances bill to limit voting by mail and use of drop boxes in latest bid to restrict election access

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Florida’s Senate has advanced a bill that would restrict voting …

Column: Voter suppression will be the lasting effect of Trump’s Big Lie
3 years, 11 months ago

Column: Voter suppression will be the lasting effect of Trump’s Big Lie

LA Times  

People wait in line for early voting in October at the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Ga. Brian Kemp has already signed into law what the Brennan Center describes as an “omnibus voter suppression bill.” Voting rights activist Stacey Abrams, a force in Georgia politics, is more blunt. But as Charlotte Hill, a UC Berkeley graduate student who studies election and …

Don't praise Coca Cola, Delta for opposing Georgia voting law
3 years, 11 months ago

Don't praise Coca Cola, Delta for opposing Georgia voting law

LA Times  

Voters wait in line for early voting at a Georgia polling place in October. A representative example of this comes from Will Saletan of Slate, who in a facile Twitter thread divides the law’s provisions into “good stuff,” “bad stuff” and “overhyped.” Another newspaper analysis credulously asserts that the law is “unlikely to significantly affect turnout or Democratic chances” and …

As the For the People Act voting bill is debated, Republicans in dozens of states push restrictions
3 years, 11 months ago

As the For the People Act voting bill is debated, Republicans in dozens of states push restrictions

LA Times  

A landmark federal voting rights measure debated in a Senate committee Wednesday comes as Republicans in dozens of statehouses are pushing local legislation that would make it harder for many Americans to vote. The bill has drawn criticism from Florida ACLU political director Kirk Bailey, who said in a statement that the proposals would make “administering elections in Florida more …

Republicans Are Pushing A Wave Of Voter Restrictions. Democrats’ Top Priority Would Stop Them.
4 years ago

Republicans Are Pushing A Wave Of Voter Restrictions. Democrats’ Top Priority Would Stop Them.

Huff Post  

LOADING ERROR LOADING Ex-President Donald Trump’s lies about election fraud did not just lead to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol meant to overturn a free and fair democratic election. The For The People Act would set national standards for voter registration, early voting, absentee or mail voting, election administration and provisional balloting while limiting voter roll purges …

A 2020 Surprise: Fewer Absentee Ballot Rejections Than Expected
4 years, 2 months ago

A 2020 Surprise: Fewer Absentee Ballot Rejections Than Expected

NPR  

A 2020 Surprise: Fewer Absentee Ballot Rejections Than Expected Enlarge this image toggle caption Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images Jeff Kowalsky/AFP via Getty Images Florida resident Kirk Nielsen was very careful when he went to vote this fall. For example, Florida's mail-in ballot envelopes included space where voters could provide their email address or phone number, allowing election officials to …

Trump encourages mail voting in Florida but sues in Nevada
4 years, 7 months ago

Trump encourages mail voting in Florida but sues in Nevada

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — In an abrupt reversal, President Donald Trump is encouraging voters in the critical swing state of Florida to vote by mail after months of criticizing the practice — and while his campaign and the GOP challenge Nevada over its new vote-by-mail law. “Whether you call it Vote by Mail or Absentee Voting, in Florida the election system is …

Supreme Court rules Florida can block ex-felons from voting
4 years, 7 months ago

Supreme Court rules Florida can block ex-felons from voting

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Thousands of formerly incarcerated …

Florida urges US Supreme Court to keep stay on felon voting
4 years, 8 months ago

Florida urges US Supreme Court to keep stay on felon voting

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The state of Florida is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to reject a bid by voting rights advocates to lift a stay on a lower court’s ruling that allowed Florida felons to regain the right to vote, regardless of unpaid fines and other financial obligations. Ron DeSantis, argued that “all Floridians will be irreparably harmed if the …

Absentee voting: Voters face potential life-or-death choices in states with limited measures
4 years, 10 months ago

Absentee voting: Voters face potential life-or-death choices in states with limited measures

CNN  

CNN — Elections are a sacred ritual for Jeremy Rutledge and always have been. The NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union have filed suit in South Carolina challenging the state’s absentee voting laws ahead of the June 9 primary for federal, state and local offices. They claim that the state’s absentee voting laws do not allow …

Voting rights disputes in virus era spark court battles
4 years, 11 months ago

Voting rights disputes in virus era spark court battles

Associated Press  

Wisconsin’s chaotic primary may just be the beginning. “What COVID has done is added fuel to that fire.” Elias said he expects to file lawsuits within the coming weeks against states that Democrats argue haven’t taken adequate steps to protect voters and poll workers during the outbreak. President Donald Trump has already tried to portray voting by mail as suspicious …

Parties ready for court battles over virus-era voting rights
4 years, 11 months ago

Parties ready for court battles over virus-era voting rights

Associated Press  

Wisconsin’s chaotic primary may just be the beginning. “What COVID has done is added fuel to that fire.” Elias said he expects to file lawsuits within the coming weeks against states that Democrats argue haven’t taken adequate steps to protect voters and poll workers during the outbreak. President Donald Trump has already tried to portray voting by mail as suspicious …

Appeals court weighs Florida law on felon voting rights
5 years, 1 month ago

Appeals court weighs Florida law on felon voting rights

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Lawyers for the electoral battleground state of Florida asked a federal appeals court on Tuesday to set aside a ruling that allowed some felons to regain access to the ballot box despite owing fines and other legal debts. Voting rights groups immediately sued and asked for a temporary injunction that would let felons continue registering to vote and …

Felon voting bill goes to Florida governor amid outcry
5 years, 10 months ago

Felon voting bill goes to Florida governor amid outcry

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida felons will have to pay court-ordered financial obligations if they want their voting rights restored under a bill sent to Republican Gov. Democrats have said financial burdens shouldn’t be a barrier to voting rights restoration, especially if a judge converts them to a civil judgment. “If we determine which individuals or groups to target, we can …

Florida Republicans push ahead with bill to ‘undermine voters' who approved restoring voting rights to ex-felons
5 years, 10 months ago

Florida Republicans push ahead with bill to ‘undermine voters' who approved restoring voting rights to ex-felons

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Republicans in the Florida state legislature are moving forward with …

Florida felons rejoice after regaining their right to vote
6 years, 2 months ago

Florida felons rejoice after regaining their right to vote

Associated Press  

ORLANDO, Fla. — The normally humdrum bureaucracy of registering to vote brought tears to the eyes of some Floridians on Tuesday when most felons regained their right to vote under a state constitutional amendment. But thank God the system works.” Nearly 65 percent of Florida voters last November approved Amendment 4, which was crafted so that it would take effect …

Republican Voter Suppression Efforts Are Targeting Minorities, Journalist Says
6 years, 4 months ago

Republican Voter Suppression Efforts Are Targeting Minorities, Journalist Says

NPR  

Republican Voter Suppression Efforts Are Targeting Minorities, Journalist Says Enlarge this image toggle caption Jessica McGowan/Getty Images Jessica McGowan/Getty Images Since the 2010 elections, 24 states have implemented new restrictions on voting. As a result, Berman says, "You're seeing a national effort by the Republican Party to try to restrict voting rights, and it's playing out in states all across …

Florida Democrats sue to extend voter registration deadline
6 years, 5 months ago

Florida Democrats sue to extend voter registration deadline

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A partisan brushfire blew up Tuesday over voter registration deadlines in the battleground state of Florida after Hurricane Michael’s approach disrupted registration in the state’s Panhandle region. In fact, nearly 10,000 people have registered to vote online since midnight.” But Blaise Ingoglia, chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, slammed the lawsuit filed by Democrats, saying it …

Florida may restore voting rights to 1.7 million ex-felons: So long, Republicans!
7 years, 2 months ago

Florida may restore voting rights to 1.7 million ex-felons: So long, Republicans!

Salon  

Of the states that swung to Donald Trump in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama in 2012, Florida, with its 29 votes in the Electoral College, was by far the biggest. Hillary Clinton lost the Sunshine State by fewer than 120,000 votes, strongly suggesting that more inclusive voting rights law could -- and probably would -- have swung Florida in …

New citizens in Florida rush to register to vote
8 years, 4 months ago

New citizens in Florida rush to register to vote

Al Jazeera  

Miami, United States – Waving a tiny US flag, Guyana native Lennox Bascom nearly levitated in his wheelchair as he joined others singing America the Beautiful. Late last week, Florida resumed citizenship ceremonies it had to postpone due to bad weather, and hundreds of immigrants got a last-minute chance to take their oaths and register to vote. “We were waiting …

America votes, but not without glitches
12 years, 4 months ago

America votes, but not without glitches

The Hindu  

Reeling from economic hardship and riven by polarising social issues through months of a gruelling campaign, a nation took its fate into its own hands on a clear Tuesday morning as well over 120 million Americans headed to their local voting stations to elect their next President. Even as voting began shortly after midnight in two tiny villages in New …

Millions could lose White House vote
12 years, 7 months ago

Millions could lose White House vote

The Hindu  

New laws in 19 states to restrict access to ballot and poor and black people are likely to be most affected. “We are seeing a dramatic assault on voting rights, the most significant pushback on democratic participation that we’ve seen in decades,” said Wendy Weiser of the non-partisan think-tank the Brennan Center for Justice, and the co-author of the definitive …

Fla. Gov. Rick Scott Defends Efforts To Clear Noncitizens From Voter Rolls
12 years, 9 months ago

Fla. Gov. Rick Scott Defends Efforts To Clear Noncitizens From Voter Rolls

NPR  

Rick Scott Defends Efforts To Clear Noncitizens From Voter Rolls Enlarge this image toggle caption Chris O'Meara/AP Chris O'Meara/AP Florida Gov. Scott told NPR's Michel Martin on Tell Me More Wednesday that after learning his state didn't verify the citizenship status of registered voters, he's trying to ensure that the ballots of U.S. citizens aren't diminished: "What we've found is …

Fla. GOP Pushes Controversial Voting Law Changes
13 years, 10 months ago

Fla. GOP Pushes Controversial Voting Law Changes

NPR  

Fla. GOP Pushes Controversial Voting Law Changes Enlarge this image toggle caption Marc Serota/Getty Images Marc Serota/Getty Images It's still a year and a half until the presidential election, but members of Florida's Legislature are already jockeying over who will be able to vote and how. They say that in years with big turnouts — presidential elections, for example — …

New Absentee Law Stirs Up Texas Politics
35 years ago

New Absentee Law Stirs Up Texas Politics

LA Times  

ASSOCIATED PRESS The Texas primary isn’t until March 13, but balloting has begun under the state’s new “no excuse” absentee voting system, which politicians say has made big changes in the way they campaign. “It will be too little, too late,” for candidates who don’t have successful absentee voting programs, said Williams’ state co-chairman, Roy Barrera Jr. Democratic and Republican …

Discover Related