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ORLANDO, Fla. - Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation Wednesday requiring voters to prove their citizenship in future elections, immediately prompting legal challenges from voting rights groups.
The measure is part of ongoing efforts in the state to tighten election rules and verify voter eligibility.
What we know:
The bill (HB 991) requires Floridians to provide citizenship documentation, such as a passport, birth certificate, or government-issued ID, when registering to vote and before casting a ballot.
The legislation takes effect Jan. 1, after the 2026 election cycle, and also removes the use of student or retirement community IDs, which have been allowed since 2006.
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The law additionally requires candidates to disclose dual citizenship and, for federal office candidates, whether they plan to trade stocks while in office. The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure with votes of 27-12 in the Senate and 77-28 in the House
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how election officials will handle potential difficulties for voters who lack the required documents.
Critics argue that many citizens, including seniors, naturalized citizens, low-income voters, and people affected by disasters, may face barriers to obtaining identification. The ultimate outcome of the legal challenges filed against the law is also unknown.
The backstory:
The bill is Florida’s version of the stalled federal Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, which similarly requires proof of citizenship and photo ID. DeSantis framed the legislation as part of his ongoing "election integrity" agenda, citing previous measures such as banning ballot harvesting and eliminating public campaign funding.
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The signing comes a day after President Donald Trump issued an executive order requiring federal agencies to compile lists of eligible voters and restricting mail-in ballot delivery.
What they're saying:
DeSantis defended the law, saying, "This bill protects and expands integrity in our voter registration process by requiring the verification of U.S. citizenship when you're doing your voter registration. Our constitution says only American citizens are allowed to vote in our elections, and so, we need to make sure that is the law."
On lawsuits challenging the measure, DeSantis said, "They go to a liberal judge. The liberal judge sides with them. Then we appeal and we win."
Voting rights groups warned the law could disenfranchise thousands.
"Many eligible voters do not have these documents and cannot obtain them for a variety of reasons... If this law stands, thousands of U.S. citizens will be removed from Florida's voter rolls, blocking them from voting in the next Presidential election if they can't afford specific documents," said Amy Keith of Common Cause Florida.
"If this law goes into effect, the number of eligible Florida citizens who will be disenfranchised will be far, far greater than the number of ineligible voters who will be prevented from casting a ballot," added Abha Khanna of Elias Law Group.
The Source: This story was written based on reporting by the News Service of Florida.