Federal Court Blocks Portions of Florida’s Restrictive Voter Law

A federal judge has blocked portions of Florida’s restrictive voter law, signed into law last year despite concerns that it would actually suppress the vote.

The judge’s decision was in a case brought by The League of Women Voters of Florida, Rock the Vote, and the Florida Public Interest Research Group Education Fund in December 2011.

Of particular concern to civil rights groups was a provision that made it harder for third-party organizations to conduct voter registration in the state.  That provision was blocked by the judge:

Ruling in the state capital of Tallahassee, U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle granted a preliminary injunction also blocking enforcement of other parts of the law putting new restrictions on groups conducting voter registration drives.

The judge blocked a requirement that voter registration groups notify the state within 10 days if any volunteer or employee stops working for the organization.

Hinkle said the law and state regulations implementing it “impose burdensome record-keeping and reporting requirements that serve little if any purpose, thus rendering them unconstitutional.”

Under federal law, organizations have the right to collect and mail in voter registration forms, but the “harsh and impractical 48-hour deadline” effectively prohibited them from using the mail, the judge said in his ruling.

“When a plaintiff loses an opportunity to register a voter, the opportunity is gone forever,” Hinkle wrote. “And allowing responsible organizations to conduct voter-registration drives —thus making it easier for citizens to register and vote – promotes democracy.”

“Today’s ruling is a clear victory for Florida voters,” said Lee Rowland, counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, one of the attorneys who argued the case for the civil rights groups. “The Florida legislature has tried repeatedly to stifle access to voter registration opportunities. By halting onerous provisions of the law, the court has stood up for voters and for civic groups across the state helping Floridians register to vote.”