The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for July 27, 2023

Today’s Script

(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.

If you voted in the midterms by absentee ballot in Florida last year, your automatic request, along with millions of others,  may no longer be valid for 2024, due to a new law requiring that absentee ballot requests expire in two years, rather than four.

WUSF Public Media reports that Hillsborough County alone sent out over 339,000 absentee ballots in 2022, but has only 71,000 active requests left.  Widely considered a voter suppression bill, SB 90, was passed in 2021 by the Florida legislature and signed by Governor Ron DeSantis.  While it was termed an “election integrity” change, its timing followed a 2020 election where 4.2 million Floridians voted by mail, and Democrats cast 680,000 more mail ballots than Republicans.  

The National Conference of State Legislatures identifies eight states plus DC which offer some form of permanent absentee list for any voter, while at least 13 states offer permanent absentee lists for the disabled and seniors.  Florida is not among them.

Voters are now forced to renew their requests through their county elections office or web page.  SB 90 also requires Florida driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security information – and no other option – a burdensome requirement for many voters.  

We have a directory of Florida county election offices and their websites at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  Follow us on Facebook @AmericanDemocracyMinute.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
WUSF Public Media – Floridians who want to vote by mail in 2024 will need to request a ballot or renew their requests
The Guardian – Voters’ mail-in ballot requests cancelled as Florida passes new voting restrictions
Treasure Coast Newspapers – Voting by mail in the 2024 elections? Here’s why Florida voters should request ballots now
Florida Department of State – Find your Supervisor of Elections by Map
Brennan Center for Justice – (2021) Florida Enacts Sweeping Voter Suppression Law
NBC 6 South Florida – (2021) Gov. DeSantis Signs GOP-Backed Elections Bill at Event Closed to Local Media
National Conference of State Legislatures – States With Permanent Absentee Voting Lists

Groups Taking Action:
Florida Rising, Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP,  Hispanic Federation Florida, Equal Ground Education Fund, Voters of Tomorrow Florida, Disability Rights Florida, Alianza for Progress, UnidosUS,  Florida Alliance for Retired Americans

Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter and SHARE!  

Find all of our reports at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org

Want ADM sent to your email?  Sign up here!

#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VotingRights #VoterSuppression #FloridaPolitics

The post Florida Just Purged its List of Absentee Ballot Requestors, Forcing Millions of Voters to Reapply appeared first on American Democracy Minute.