Civil rights organizations filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday challenging a new Florida voting law that requires proof of citizenship, arguing the measure could disenfranchise eligible voters and violate the Constitution.
The complaint, filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, was brought by the Florida NAACP and the Florida Alliance for Retired Americans against Secretary of State Cord Byrd and election officials in all 67 counties.
At issue is House Bill 991, recently signed into law, which requires voters to provide proof of U.S. citizenship if state records cannot verify their status.
Plaintiffs argue the law imposes "undue burdens" on voting rights, particularly for minority, low-income, older, and disabled people who may have difficulty accessing documents such as birth certificates or passports.
Under the law, voters whose citizenship cannot be confirmed through state databases must submit documents — including a valid U.S. passport, certified birth certificate, or naturalization papers — before their registration can be approved or maintained.
The measure also mandates a broad review of existing voter rolls. Individuals flagged as "potentially ineligible" must provide proof of citizenship within 30 days or risk removal.
The lawsuit asserts that the policy could lead to widespread disenfranchisement, citing similar laws in other states.
In Kansas, more than 30,000 voter registrations were blocked under a comparable requirement, while observers in New Hampshire reported significant numbers of new voters being turned away after a similar law took effect.
Plaintiffs also argue the law addresses a largely nonexistent problem. The complaint cites state data indicating only a small number of suspected noncitizen voters among Florida's more than 13 million registered voters, with most cases ultimately resolved.
Florida officials have defended the law as necessary to protect election integrity. The lawsuit counters that current safeguards — including criminal penalties and routine voter roll maintenance — already address concerns about noncitizen voting.
The groups are seeking a court order to block enforcement of the law and a declaration that it violates the First and 14th amendments.
If implemented, the plaintiffs warn, the requirements could make Florida's elections "less accessible and less reflective" of eligible voters.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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