JACKSONVILLE, FL – Today Governor DeSantis signed Senate Bill 90, a Georgia-inspired voter suppression bill. This new restrictive election law will impose a series of restrictions on Floridians’ ability to cast a ballot and thrust unfunded mandates on local Supervisors of Elections. It restricts secure vote-by-mail (VBM) drop boxes, requires voters to submit VBM requests each election cycle, and criminalizes giving food and water to people waiting in line to vote.
Daniel Henry, Duval County Democratic Party Chairman, responded with the following statement:
“Despite proclaiming the universal success of Florida’s election system, Republican legislators and Governor DeSantis have joined the nationwide voter suppression movement. Turning debunked ballot conspiracies from the 2020 election into a democracy destroying, autocratic policy that suppresses the votes of Floridians.
“Instead of expanding voting access, passing equitable voting laws, and breaking down the systemic barriers that make it difficult for communities of color to vote, DeSantis has signed yet another Jim Crow-inspired bill to play to his partisan base.
“It’s clear DeSantis is more interested in creating barriers to our hard-fought freedoms in an attempt to solidify his re-election. Come next year, Democrats will ensure his authoritarian regime as Governor comes to an end at the ballot box.”