ACLU of Florida Urges Veto of Bill That Seeks to Block the Vote at the Ballot Box

TALLAHASSEE, FL – The Florida Legislature has passed HB 991, legislation that would burden eligible voters with new documentation requirements and administrative barriers to register and vote. The ACLU of Florida is urging Governor Ron DeSantis to veto the proposal, warning that the bill risks blocking eligible voters from the ballot box while doing little to improve election security.

Bacardi Jackson, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida, shared the following statement:

“The right to vote is the cornerstone of our democracy and foundation for all our freedoms. This legislation moves Florida in the wrong direction by placing new bureaucratic hurdles between eligible voters and the ballot box. Under the scheme of HB 991, access to the ballot for many voters will depend on their ability to pay unnecessary fees and navigate layers of paperwork, documentation requirements, and government databases that are often incomplete or inaccurate.

 

“When lawmakers add barriers like these, the impact is predictable. The burden falls hardest on students, seniors, naturalized citizens, and working families who may not have immediate access to the specific records the government will now demand. Eligible voters should not lose their voice in our democracy because of database errors, delayed paperwork, or excessive bureaucracy.

 

“Democracy is strongest when policies encourage the participation of all eligible voters and when registration is easy and accessible. But legislation like this sends a different message – that access to the ballot should be limited, harder and more complicated.

 

“The freedom to vote should never hinge on someone’s ability to navigate a maze of bureaucracy. Democracy depends on participation. And when barriers stand between the people and the ballot box, democracy itself is at risk.

 

“Floridians will never accept a return to days of liberty and freedom for some nor back down in the fight for democracy.”