Florida will become the last state to take measures that limit access to ballot boxes and postal voting.
The Florida legislature passed a bill Thursday afternoon that makes it difficult to access ballot boxes and e-mail ballots, making it the last Republican-led state to push what activists say . suppression of voters.
Democrats say Republican measures are designed to lessen the impact of black voters, whose strong turnout helped propel Biden toward victory and gave Democrats two wins in the U.S. Senate in Georgia in January.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed the law new voting restrictions in March, which restrict access to mail ballots and encrypt the use of drop-down boxes. It also extends early voting for the majority of Georgians.
The measure has faced the challenges of religious leaders and businesses, including boycotts.
Republicans cite claims by former President Donald Trump that President Joe Biden stole the November election as reasons for the general measures. The judges discredited these claims, made without evidence, in more than 60 plates which failed to overturn the election result.
Chris Sautter, a Democratic consultant specializing in electoral law, he told Al Jazeera in March, Biden’s election and Democratic victories in both races in the Senate in Georgia “sent shock waves through conservative and Republican ranks.”
The bill in neighboring Florida, which is considered a battlefield state but tends to vote Republican, includes stricter requirements on the mandatory box office template and requires voters to apply for votes more often. by email.
The bill also stipulates the expansion of the “no application” area around polling stations and expands the definition of applications to include “the delivery, or attempt to give, any article to a voter by certain people “. Advocacy groups warn that they will deter activists from handing out water and food to voters who are in long queues in the often suffocating state.
A Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis spokesman told U.S. ABC News that he would sign the bill to “ensure that Florida remains a national leader in electoral security, integrity and transparency.”
Marc Elias, a Democratic lawyer representing a coalition of civil rights groups suing Georgia over its voting restrictions, has tweeted that Florida businessmen should have opposed the bill.
“These voter suppression laws are aimed at black, brown and young voters,” Elias tweeted. “Bill is now addressing the governor’s office. Check out this space for more news once you’ve signed up “.
We know the answer. These voter suppression laws are aimed at black, brown, and young voters.
The question is whether the business community would really use their influence to stop these bills instead of offering vague statements of thoughts and prayers for our democracy. https://t.co/qdwvVZ7ZNS
– Marc E. Elias (@marceelias) April 30, 2021
A record 158 million people voted in the November election, in part thanks to new rules this facilitated voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Brennan Center for Justice, a non-supporter of New York University, found 29 states and the District of Columbia passed laws and changed procedures to expand access to voting during the health crisis.
Trump, that still he wields power throughout the Republican party with his sought-after political endorsements, he was initially thought to be the leader in the upcoming 2024 presidential vote. But Trump’s support is dwindling, according to a recent NBC poll.
The poll found that only 44 percent of Republicans supported it more than the party itself; for the first time since July 2019, this has happened.
DeSantis is already considered a candidate for the 2024 Republican candidacy for the presidency, in part because of his support for socially conservative measures.
So is it he is expected to sign a bill banning transgender athletes of competing in women’s and women’s sports. The signing of the voting bill is likely to further raise DeSantis ’profile on the national stage.
