Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs sweeping election bill; NAACP, LWVF sue

[libertybele]

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs sweeping election bill; NAACP, LWVF sue

On the day Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his candidacy for U.S. president, the Republican signed into law an omnibus election bill that attracted litigation from organizations who accuse the legislation of being voter suppression.

Prior to announcing his presidential campaign Wednesday, DeSantis signed into law 20 pieces of legislation, including Senate Bill 7050, which, along with paving the way for him to run for the nation's highest office without stepping down as governor, includes sweeping changes to election laws affecting civil and voting rights groups.

The bill, which passed both the state Senate and House along party lines late last month, imposes restrictions affecting third-party voter registration organizations, such as limiting who, when and what kind of work they can do under threat of hefty fines.

After the bill was signed, a lawsuit from the League of Women Voters of Florida, the NAACP and other pro-voting organizations was filed, accusing the state of violating there right to freedom of speech and association.

"Instead of celebrating civic engagement groups for their work to encourage participation in our democracy, Florida legislators restricted and penalized basic voter outreach efforts," Paul Smith, senior vice president at Campaign Legal Center, which is representing the League of Women Voters of Florida in the lawsuit, said in a statement.

"This action will directly harm members of historically marginalized communities -- including voters of color, low-income voters, voters with disabilities and young voters -- who rely on these nonpartisan efforts to help make their voices heard."

In the lawsuit, the coalition of voting rights groups argue that by targeting these third-party voter registration organizations, the legislation is restricting voting by historically disenfranchised communities, especially Black and Latinx populations.............

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/florida-gov-ron-desantis-signs-sweeping-election-bill-naacp-lwvf-sue/ar-AA1bFmwS?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=acacf7f7a4c6474db2d5aa88dd45334f&ei=20

[Hoodat]

After the bill was signed, a lawsuit from the League of Women Voters of Florida, the NAACP and other pro-voting organizations was filed, accusing the state of violating there [sic] right to freedom of speech and association.

Uh, no.  No one is violating LWV or NAACP of their right to free speech and association.  They can continue talking to and associating with anyone they choose.

"Instead of celebrating civic engagement groups for their work to encourage participation in our democracy, Florida legislators restricted and penalized basic voter outreach efforts," Paul Smith, senior vice president at Campaign Legal Center, which is representing the League of Women Voters of Florida in the lawsuit, said in a statement.

You can encourage participation in our "democracy" [sic] all you want.  You just can't register people to vote for them.  They have to make the effort to register themselves if they want to participate.

"This action will directly harm members of historically marginalized communities -- including voters of color

So basically, your saying that people of color somehow don't have what it takes to survive in society and need your patronizing overreach to achieve something so rudimentary as registering to vote.  That's a pretty damn condescending opinion of minorities, if you ask me.

[Kamaji]

Uh, no.  No one is violating LWV or NAACP of their right to free speech and association.  They can continue talking to and associating with anyone they choose.


You can encourage participation in our "democracy" [sic] all you want.  You just can't register people to vote for them.  They have to make the effort to register themselves if they want to participate.


So basically, your saying that people of color somehow don't have what it takes to survive in society and need your patronizing overreach to achieve something so rudimentary as registering to vote.  That's a pretty damn condescending opinion of minorities, if you ask me.