Florida voting law faces federal lawsuit over citizenship requirements

Civil rights organizations have filed a federal lawsuit against Florida's SAVE Act (HB 991), a law that will require voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship to register and vote starting January 1, 2027. The lawsuit, brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Democracy Defenders Fund on behalf of Black Voters Matter Fund and the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), challenges the mandate against Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.

The law requires documentation such as a birth certificate, passport, or driver's license, which the state will cross-reference with official records. Discrepancies that are not addressed within 30 days could result in voter removal. Plaintiffs argue the law exceeds federal voter registration standards and disproportionately impacts naturalized citizens and Black voters, as official records may not always reflect updated citizenship status.

In a broader context regarding voting access, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has expanded its Electoral Rights Project leadership to counter executive orders aimed at restricting mail-in voting. These measures include proposals to grant the U.S. Postal Service authority to determine voter eligibility and penalize officials who distribute ballots to individuals not on federal mail-in voter lists.