The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for Sept. 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.

September 21st, a federal appeals court refused to rehear a challenge to Florida’s restrictive voting law SB 90, letting an April 2023 appeals decision stand. Florida voters who use mail-in voting should be paying attention.  

After Donald Trump’s loss in 2020, Florida and other conservative states implemented wide-ranging voting restrictions under the guise of “election integrity.”  SB 90 bans voter assistance used by African American voting advocacy groups like offering chairs, water and snacks to voters waiting in line, and requires disclaimers for voter registration assistance.

SB 90 also requires mail-in voters to apply every election cycle – a burden on the elderly and disabled– eliminates unattended drop boxes, and requires a Florida driver’s license, state ID, or Social Security number to even apply for a mail-in ballot.

In 2022, much of the law was struck down, citing Florida’s record of intentional barriers to voting, but in April 2023, the decision was reversed by a three judge panel, the majority finding that the legislature’s laws weren’t discriminatory.  Democracy groups asked for a rehearing, which the court denied last week 2-1.  In refusing the case, the majority stated, “The record reveals a stark lack of evidence of discriminatory intent of the PRESENT Florida legislature.”    

Florida voters must now re-apply for their mail ballots prior to March 7th, 2024 to participate in the March 19th Presidential Preference Primary. The voter registration deadline is 29 days before that date.

We have more at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.  I’m Brian Beihl.

Today’s Links

Articles & Resources:
Democracy Docket –  (2022) Three Trial Takeaways: Florida’s Voter Suppression Law
Florida Phoenix – (2022) 11th Circuit frees Florida to enforce limits on voter registration, ballot drop boxes
Politico – Appeals court upholds Florida voting restrictions approved by GOP lawmakers
11th Circuit Court of Appeals via Democracy Docket – April 2023 League of Women Voters vs. Florida Secretary of State
Democracy Docket – 11th Circuit Upholds Most of Florida’s Major 2021 Voter Suppression Law
WUSF – In a victory for Gov. Ron DeSantis and Republican legislators, a full federal appeals court Thursday declined to take up a challenge to a 2021 Florida elections law that opponents contend discriminated against Black voters.
Florida Phoenix – Eleventh Circuit won’t budge, reaffirms Florida’s 2021 voting restrictions law
11th Circuit Court of Appeals -Sept. 2023 – League of Women Voters vs. Florida Secretary of State

Groups Taking Action:
League of Women Voters of Florida, Southern Poverty Law Center, Fair Elections Center, Harriet Tubman Freedom Fighters 

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#Democracy  #DemocracyNews #VoterSuppression #FloridaPolitics #SB90

The post Federal Appeals Court Sides With Florida Legislature, Upholding Restrictions on Voter Assistance and Mail-In Voting appeared first on American Democracy Minute.

https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2022-05-08T08_01_30-07_00

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

We reported last week that the Secretary of State in Florida had held up portions of SB 54, awaiting a court case involving another Florida voter suppression bill, SB 90, signed into law last year by Governor Ron Desantis.  It put further restrictions on the use of drop boxes and the role of groups facilitating voter registration.  

The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Friday on SB 90  – sort of.   The lower court had ruled that SB 90’s provisions targeting black & brown voters were egregious enough that Florida should be subject to federal Voting Rights Act “preclearance” of any voting laws prior to implementation.

But the three Trump-appointed judges on the appeals court panel ruled Friday not on the merits of the case, but on the timing.  The ruling instead cited the “Purcell principle,” from the 2006 Purcell v. Gonzalez, which found that changes should not be made too close to an election. It also called the historical arguments of the League of Women Voters of Florida “vague,” and questioned the pro-voter group’s assertion that the provisions of the law were “intentional discrimination.”

The ruling grants a stay to the circuit court’s decision, and allows Florida to move forward with implementation pending appeal.   To the less than voter friendly U.S. Supreme Court.

We’d love to hear your thoughts!  Send us an email at WethePeople@AmericanDemocracyMinute.org and tell us the state and station where you listen. 

Granny D said, “Democracy is not  something we have, it’s something we DO.” 

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.

The post American Democracy Minute for May 9, 2022: Federal court of appeals issues sides with State of FL on Voting Rights Case appeared first on American Democracy Minute.