Shortly after Governor DeSantis signed SB 90 a group of Florida-based civil rights organizations sued state and local election officials seeking to block the new restrictive voting measures. We dig into what the new law says with Patti Brigham, President of the League of Women Voters of Florida, which is leading that legal challenge; and Dr. Micah Kubic, Executive Director of the ACLU of Florida.
This story originally aired on May 10, 2021.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs Senate Bill 90, a voting bill that now faces numerous lawsuits.
Credit Governor’s Office
As promised, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday signed an elections overhaul bill that was one of the most-contentious issues of the 2021 legislative session. Also as promised, the signing has prompted the almost-immediate filing of numerous court challenges.
DeSantis and GOP lawmakers argue the bill, which addresses issues such as voting by mail, is needed to ensure secure elections. The bill will allow supervisors to use drop boxes at early voting sites and “permanent” branch offices, so long as the boxes are staffed by their employees during regular voting hours. The governor calls Senate Bill 90 the “strongest election integrity measures in the country.”
Election reforms targeting voting by mail, drop boxes passes Florida Legislature Lawrence Mower, Tampa Bay Times
TALLAHASSEE The Florida Legislature approved along party lines a multitude of changes to the state’s elections laws Thursday night, including a ban on possessing multiple vote by mail ballots and restrictions on the use of ballot drop boxes.
Relenting on a number of ideas that were strongly opposed by county elections supervisors and Democrats, the bill now heading to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ desk is far less onerous than what Republicans were proposing over the last month.
The bill does not ban drop boxes, an idea DeSantis endorsed earlier this year.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. The Florida Legislature approved along party lines a multitude of changes to the state’s elections laws Thursday night, including a ban on possessing multiple vote by mail ballots and restrictions on the use of ballot drop boxes. Relenting on a number of ideas that were strongly opposed by county elections supervisors and Democrats, the bill now heading to Gov. Ron .
The passage of the bill comes after both Democrats and Republicans, including Gov. Ron DeSantis, hailed Florida’s administration of the November 2020 election as a model for the nation.