SB 90’s provisions make it harder for Floridians to cast their ballot, with a disproportionate impact on elderly voters, voters with disabilities, students and communities of color.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On May 6, the League of Women Voters of Florida joined the Black Voters Matter Fund, Florida Alliance for Retired Americans, League of United Latin American Citizens and several individual Florida voters to file a lawsuit challenging Florida’s Senate Bill 90, often dubbed Florida’s voter suppression bill. The lawsuit’s filing comes the same day that the measure was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.
“The League of Women Voters of Florida has fought SB 90 since its introduction, and we’re continuing our fight now,” said Patricia Brigham, president of the League of Women Voters of Florida. “The legislation has a deliberate and disproportionate impact on elderly voters, voters with disabilities, students and communities of color. It’s a despicable attempt by a one party ruled legislature to choose who can vote in our state and who cannot. It’s undemocratic, unconstitutional, and un-American.”
The 2020 election saw the greatest voter participation in American history, with Florida seeing an increase in both registration numbers and voter participation—especially among Black and other communities of color. The provisions in SB 90 would not only eliminate Florida’s growth in voter participation, but it would take voting rights backward in the state.
The lawsuit challenges provisions in the bill that impose restrictions on vote-by-mail drop boxes, the effective ban on organizations and volunteers from helping voters return their vote-by-mail ballots, and the requirements that force voters to request a vote-by-mail ballot more frequently and ban any non-poll worker from giving food or drink, including water, to voters waiting in line.
SB 90 directly impacts third party voter registration organizations like the League of Women Voters and forces them to take certain steps that could discourage Floridians from registering to vote and, as a result, suppress voter turnout.
Plaintiffs are represented by King, Blackwell, Zehnder & Wermuth, P.A. and Elias Law Group LLP.
For the most up to date documents and information pertaining to this case, please click here.
Looking to understand the changes made to Florida’s voting laws in 2021 via Senate Bill 90?
- Click here for a resource explaining the various changes.
- Click here for a FAQ regarding the new provisions.
*Update: On July 16, 2021 the League of United Latin American Citizens joined this case as an organizational plaintiff alongside additional individual plaintiffs. On September 2, 2021 the Elias Law Group LLP replaced Perkins Coie LLP as counsel on this case.
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