1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to oppose House Bill 991 (HB 991) and its Senate companion (SB 1334) — legislation recently passed by the Florida House that would significantly tighten voter ID and registration requirements in ways that will disenfranchise eligible voters rather than improve election integrity. While I support robust, secure elections, HB 991’s proof-of-citizenship mandate and narrowed list of acceptable identification create undue burdens for many Floridians. Under this proposal, individuals registering to vote or updating their registration may be required to present certified documents such as a birth certificate or U.S. passport, and state IDs must begin indicating citizenship status. The bill also removes student IDs, retirement center IDs, and other photo IDs from the list of acceptable forms at the polls. These changes will disproportionately impact groups that already face barriers to documentation — including students, seniors on fixed incomes, rural residents, and people whose birth records pre-date modern digital systems. Voter advocates have warned that policies like this have resulted in eligible citizens being excluded from the rolls in other states where similar laws were enacted. Election access should be expanded, not contracted. Florida can strengthen confidence in its elections through effective voter outreach, accurate voter rolls, transparent ballot processing, and adequate funding for county supervisors of elections, rather than by imposing paperwork hurdles that risk suppressing participation. I respectfully ask you to oppose HB 991, SB 1334, and any related efforts that create unnecessary barriers to voting access. Protecting the franchise for all eligible Floridians must be a priority of our state government. Thank your for your concern and consideration of your constituents.