Washington, D.C. — In response to the Florida legislature passing a broad anti-voter bill, Tom Lopach, President and CEO of the Voter Participation Center (VPC) and Center for Voter Information (CVI), released the following statement. Among its many anti-voting provisions, this bill limits the use of drop boxes and places additional barriers on those requesting absentee ballots, making it more difficult for Floridians to vote.
“This bill is an all-out assault on our democracy and on Florida’s voters. In 2020’s election, Floridians made their voices heard and voted in record numbers. We should be building on this success and keep fighting to make voting more accessible for eligible voters, not enacting new draconian barriers that make it more difficult for people of color and other historically disenfranchised voters to access the ballot box.
“We strongly condemn these anti-voter efforts, and we urge Governor DeSantis to do the right thing for Floridians and veto this bill. Elections should be a contest based on ideas, not on who is prevented from voting.
“Florida’s anti-voter bill is unfortunately one of hundreds like it that are being introduced in state legislatures across the country. That’s why Congress must urgently pass H.R. 1, which will codify the commonsense solutions that contributed to higher turnout in 2020. At VPC/CVI, we will always keep fighting to empower voters and defend the right to vote.”
The Voter Participation Center and Center for Voter Information are non-profit, non-partisan organizations founded in 2003 to help members of the New American Majority – unmarried women, people of color and young people – register and vote. Since then, the organizations have helped 5.7 million people register and cast ballots.