Election Law

Republicans say the program would help migrants by taking them to sanctuary cities. Democrats say it as a political stunt meant to serve the governor’s national political ambitions.

A lawsuit from the Florida Democratic Party and two individual plaintiffs claim that the law could prevent volunteer observers from sharing information from canvassing-board meetings. It contends the law violates First Amendment and due-process rights.

A judge said he wants to know "what evidence supports the district court’s finding of discriminatory intent.”

U.S. Department of Justice attorneys last week filed a 35-page brief backing challenges by voting-rights groups to the law, which included placing additional restrictions on ballot drop boxes and on providing food and water to people waiting in line at polling places.

They want an appeals court to uphold a district judge’s ruling that said increased “solicitation” restrictions near polling places violate speech rights.

Voting-rights groups say the law was intended to restrict minority voters’ access to the ballot.

The decision will almost certainly keep in place for this year’s elections the controversial 2021 law that created additional hurdles for voters to cast ballots by mail.

The state wants the ruling — which blocked parts of a 2021 elections law — to go to appeal, while the NAACP and other groups want it to remain in effect.

The law is meant to review fraud allegations and conduct preliminary investigations.

Senate Bill 90 passed in the Florida Senate and was signed by the governor last May. Its provisions amend the state election laws to, according to the Senate website, “improve election security, transparency, and administration.”

One of the largest gatherings of election officials in Florida history recently took outside Orlando. It happened right as voting experts got the surprising news that a federal judge had struck down major portions of an election law approved a year ago.

The judge says the state's Republican-led government was using subtle tactics to suppress Black voters. An appeal of the ruling is expected.