Federal court blocks Florida election law limiting voter registration efforts

A federal court on Monday blocked a Florida law restricting third-party voter registration efforts, contending it ran afoul of the U.S. Constitution.

The state had sought to bar non-citizens from participating in voter registration efforts, imposing fines on organizations for non-citizens who handle voter registration forms on their behalf, according to The Hill.

U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, the Obama appointee who authored the ruling, excoriated the state for what he contended was a history of governing in an unconstitutional manner.

"Florida may, of course, regulate elections, including the voter registration process. Here, however, the challenged provisions exemplify something Florida has struggled with in recent years; namely, governing within the bounds set by the United States Constitution," he wrote. 

The judge noted that the plaintiff Hispanic Federation and the Florida NAACP relied heavily on noncitizens to aid or even lead their voter registration efforts. Walker granted both organizations' requests for a preliminary injunction.

"The State of Florida is correct to seek integrity in our electoral system," he also stated. "Sound election laws ensure the people are heard without distortion from negligent and bad-faith actors. Here, however, Florida’s solutions for preserving election integrity are too far removed from the problems it has put forward as justifications. 

"The Free State of Florida is simply not free to exceed the bounds of the United States Constitution," he asserted.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.