More reaction is pouring in after Governor Ron DeSantis signed an elections bill, Senate Bill 90, into law Thursday morning at a private live bill-singing event in West Palm Beach. DeSantis says the new law would prevent fraud and restore confidence in Florida’s elections.
“So right now I have what we think is the strongest election integrity measures in the country,” said DeSantis.
Jessica Vocaturo is an executive board member of the League of Women Voters in Miami-Dade County, a nonpartisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in government.
Vocaturo said the this type of bill is going to suppress votes, especially in low-income minority areas.
“As a voting rights activist and a vote there in Florida, I’m deeply concerned about what this will mean for elderly voters, voters with disabilities, students and historically disenfranchised communities of color,” said Jessica Vocaturo, executive board member of the League of Women Voters in Miami-Dade County.
A news release from the governor’s office said the new law is quote “strengthening voter identification, prohibiting the mass mailing of ballots, banning ballot harvesting and prohibiting private money from administering elections” in Florida.
“More than 4.8 million of Florida voters cast mail-in ballots this past election. It was a record-setting election overall however, vote by mail is something Florida voters have relied and always relied on,” said Vocaturo.
Marco Rubio added to the controversial conversation on twitter saying in part quote "The truth is the new Florida law doesn’t make it more difficult to vote by mail. It makes it more difficult for political organizations to go out and collect thousands of ballots”.
Shortly after DeSantis signed the bill, the League of Women Voters joined the Black Voters Matter Fund, Alliance for Retired Americans and several inidivudal Florida voters to file a lawsuit challenging the law.
“The litigation was filed just minutes after the governor signed SB 90 until law so that leaves me a little hopeful, but still very concerned,” she said.
The new rules in the law will be in place for elections conducted in 2022.
For more information about the bill, click here.
