The Florida Senate has teed up a bill that would create new voter identification requirements Republicans say will strengthen election integrity, but voting rights advocates and Democrats warn it will make voting harder.
“This is about the integrity of our elections and proving that you are a United States citizen in order to vote in them,” said Sen. Erin Grall, R-Fort Pierce, a bill sponsor. Federal and state law already prohibit noncitizens from voting.
One of the most debated provisions of the broad election package, HB 991, would require the state to verify voters’ U.S. citizenship using driver’s licenses and in some cases other government records like birth certificates and passports.
While a previous version of the bill took effect sooner, new language added by the Senate Wednesday would make this start next year, after the midterm elections.
Another section would eliminate student and retirement home IDs as acceptable forms of identification at polling places.
Democrats on the Senate floor Wednesday said the changes could disenfranchise younger voters, older voters and people with disabilities who don’t possess or have easy access to such identification.
“Voting is fundamental and no Floridian, whether a lifelong resident or a student away from home, should be prevented from registering to vote because they cannot afford to obtain the documents required,” said Sen. Tracie Davis, D-Jacksonville.
Democrats also worry about the effects of name and address changes on the verification process.
The bill awaits a final Senate vote. It would then have to be sent back to the House. Friday is the last scheduled day of the legislative session.
The proposal comes as President Donald Trump pushes for stricter citizenship verification in elections, such as via federal legislation called the SAVE Act.
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This story was produced by WUSF as part of a statewide journalism initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
