Published in the Tampa Bay Times. 

When it comes to voting, Florida elected officials love to toot our own horn, claiming we are the “Free State of Florida” and a gold standard in elections.

But what those officials don’t say is that just a few short years ago we WERE the gold standard. Now, Florida’s elected leaders are increasingly making it harder for eligible Florida voters to, well, vote. They are in effect picking their voters to ensure they remain in power.

We’re seeing a perfect example of this playing out right now. HB1381 is a terrible bill that will cause chaos and confusion for voters and election officials. It will make things especially hard for Florida’s seniors, students, and rural voters. In fact, any eligible Florida voter who doesn’t have a valid passport or a birth certificate that matches their current legal name could be kicked off the voter rolls.

Florida legislators were given an option to change that. In a strike-all amendment proposed in committee by Representative LaVon Bracy Davis, they were given the ability to advance reforms that would help more eligible Florida voters access the ballot while maintaining the safety and security of our elections. They were given the option to move the Florida Voting Rights Act forward and once again make Florida the gold standard in elections.

But legislators on the committee picked the bad option that makes voting harder for thousands.

You may be asking, what makes the Harry T. & Harriette V. Moore Florida Voting Rights Act (Senate Bill 1582 & House Bill 1409), a transformative step toward securing and expanding voting rights for all Floridians?

We need the Florida Voting Rights Act for several reasons. First, we continue to see an erosion of the federal Voting Rights Act through Supreme Court decisions. And the U.S. Congress has failed to pass reauthorizations of the law, making enforcement difficult. 

On a state level, we’ve seen the Florida Governor and legislature enact voter suppression laws that disproportionately impact Black voters, young voters, renters, voters who speak English as a second language, and voters with disabilities in ways that block their access to the ballot. 

That’s why a wide coalition of groups are supporting the Florida Voting Rights Act to stop these voter suppression tactics, and return power back to the people of Florida.

Here’s some of what the Florida Voting Rights Act provides:

• Same-day voter registration, allowing eligible Floridians to register and vote on Election Day
• Automatic voter registration when interacting with the DHSMV, ensuring eligible Floridians are registered unless they opt out
• Permanent vote-by-mail status, removing unnecessary burdens on voters who prefer to cast ballots from home
• Election materials available in Spanish, Creole, and other languages spoken by eligible Florida voters
• Removal of harsh penalties on community organizations conducting voter registration efforts
• And more

Voting rights should not be a partisan issue. Access to the ballot doesn’t benefit one political party — it benefits Floridians because it requires elected officials to be more responsive to the people and communities they serve.

Right now, Florida can be a leader in the right things when it comes to voting. Florida was the first state in the deep south to introduce a state-level Voting Rights Act, and we can be the first to pass one.

States who have passed their own voting rights acts have seen fewer problems and more participation. If Florida elected officials really believe in freedom, they should support the freedom to vote.

The Florida Voting Rights Act is freedom to access the ballot for all eligible Floridians. Not just a selected few.

Amy Keith is Executive Director of Common Cause Florida. Common Cause is a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy.