Florida election officials are preparing for the impact of a new law that will require, among other things, additional information for voters currently registered. These requirements are in addition to any new requirements that may pass in the closing days of the current legislative session.
The bill under current consideration, HB 7061, sponsored by State Representative Daniel Perez (R – Miami), is headed to the House floor after passing the House Appropriations Committee in a party line vote. An amendment to the bill during the meeting made it almost identical to SB 524, which passed last Thursday.
The amendment requires supervisors of elections to maintain voter roll lists annually instead of every two years. It also removed a section requiring the last four digits of a voter’s Social Security number, driver’s license or photo ID on vote-by-mail ballots. The amendment also adds a fine to organizations if a person collecting voter applications on its behalf changes someone’s party affiliation without consent. The fine is $1,000 per altered application.
The revised bill directs the secretary of state to work on a plan to “prescribe the use of a Florida driver license number, Florida identification card number, Social Security number, or any part thereof to confirm the identity of each elector returning a vote-by-mail ballot.” The secretary of state would have to submit the plan by Jan. 1.
However, last year’s election bill – which is current law – requires more information to be collected on voters. And some election officials are now preparing for the new requirement.
For example, Leon County Supervisor of Elections, Mark S. Earley (pictured above), announced Wednesday that he is preparing letters to mail out to county voters whose voter registration records are missing key information.
The information missing from some voters’ registration records include a Florida driver’s license number, state ID card number, or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Earley said this will affect approximately 13,0000 Leon County voters. There are a total of 204,539 registered voters in the county as of March 1, making the total amount around 6.4% of the voters.
“I understand that some voters may be concerned about receiving a letter requesting sensitive information,” said Supervisor Earley. “Voters are welcome to contact my office to confirm that these letters are genuine.”
Why the new information? Starting in 2006, voters were required to provide the information when registering to vote. Many voters who registered prior to 2006 are missing this information from their records.
This information update could impact approximately 900,000 of the 14 million voters registered in Florida.
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Steve Stewart is a senior contributor at The Florida Capital Star.
Republished with permission.
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Voter IDs should be for voting. Full stop.
Student IDs should be for student records (classes, grades, admissions scores), not for politics, not for black-mail/”teachable moments”, not for credit, not for debit, “business services”.
I’m still not convinced “driver licenses” and “concealed carry permits” are legitimate. License to exercise a right is simply power-madness. And they certainly should not be abused for controlling voting, attending academia, credit, banking, etc. It was simply found to be convenient in the 1930s, long after people had been driving.
The “photo ID cards” were created in part at the urging of blind, epileptic, & other non-drivers. Then poor people were added to the list. But, interestingly enough, information about how a poor, blind, etc. person is supposed to go about getting one is a bit scarce, or hidden.
Anybody that has a problem to assure the government to make sure your identity, citizenship, alive or dead to complete their records in my opinion (I dont care about political parties I listen to both sides use logic and vote for the person that wants the best for the citizens country and Democracy) they are lazy don’t care about anything but themselves. Maybe both sides Republicans and Democrats in the news should show the people the things that are possible to do the phone these days. Stop winning when someone is fighting for our rights.
I don’t see the logic of the Republicans who are trying to go against the Governor on the redistricting issue. Are they RINO’S ??? that would make sense but that will not get them reelected. Are they pandering to leftists with the misguided beliefs that any leftist will ever vote for a republican? I just don’t get the real or perceived benefit for any elected Republican to side with the leftists…to the casual politics watching conservatives their redistricting position is not logical. Politician act on what they feel is best for themselves…so what’s their self serving angle on going against the Governor?
I received my letter this week. I registered in 1980. So I don’t mind having to provide voter information in order to have a more secure election results. To all those complaining about having to do this. Remember. Voting is the only voice most of us have to have a say in government decisions.
~ The amendment requires supervisors of elections to maintain voter roll lists annually instead of every two years. It also removed a section requiring the last four digits of a voter’s Social Security number, driver’s license or photo ID on vote-by-mail ballots.
~ The revised bill directs the secretary of state to work on a plan to “prescribe the use of a Florida driver license number, Florida identification card number, Social Security number, or any part thereof to confirm the identity of each elector returning a vote-by-mail ballot.
… Ummmmmm…. ahh, never mind
Yesterday, Friday, the Republican-led legislature passed a redistricting map that Governor DeSantis promises to veto.
Governor DeSantis wants a 20-8 (20 red districts, 8 blue districts) redistricting map which would reflect Florida’s current population.
The Republicans need to back DeSantis and submit a new map (20-8).
House Speaker Chris Sprowls 850-717-5000
Senate President Wilton Simpson 850-487-5229
per — The Epoch Times…17hrs ago…
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It’s a good start. Hope this catches on nationwide.