Published 9 months ago • loading... • Updated 9 months ago
Appeals court upholds Florida law barring noncitizens from gathering voter petitions
The law limits petition collection by barring noncitizens and nonresidents and caps signatures per person, with violations deemed felonies to curb alleged fraud, the court ruled.
A federal appeals court on Tuesday allowed key provisions of Florida's H.B. 1205 law, restricting ballot initiative petition processes, to go into effect in Tallahassee.
This ruling reversed a July 8 injunction issued by a federal judge that had prevented enforcement of the law’s citizenship and residency criteria following objections from voter advocacy organizations.
The law, signed by Gov. DeSantis in May, shortens the petition return deadline from 30 days to 10 and limits petition circulation to registered circulators, barring non-citizens from gathering signatures.
The decision allows Florida to enforce H.B. 1205's restrictions pending the legal challenge outcome, though voting rights advocates argue such laws undermine direct democracy.