Eleventh Circuit Rules that Florida Violated Federal Law in 2012 When it Trimmed Voter Registration Rolls

The 1993 federal law nick-named “Motor-voter”, but which is actually called the National Voter Registration Act, prohibits states from completing “any program the purpose of which is to systematically remove the names of ineligible voters from the official lists of eligible voters” during the 90 days before a federal primary or a federal election.

On April 1, the Eleventh Circuit ruled that Florida violated this law in 2012, when it tried to match names on the voter registration rolls with two other databases, looking for individuals who had registered to vote even though they are not citizens. Arcia v Florida Secretary of State, 12-15738. One database was the list of individuals who, when they applied for a drivers license, presented ID to get their drivers license that suggested that individual is not a citizen (such as a green card). The other database is the federal “SAVE” list, prepared by the Department of Homeland Security.

Florida matched names on these other databases during the period 90 days before the election, which the federal voter registration law prohibits. Florida defended itself by saying the federal law only applies to individuals who were eligible to register in the past but are no longer eligible, as opposed to aliens, who were never eligible. The court used the plain meaning of various ordinary words to rebut that idea.

A practical problem with Florida’s program was that sometimes individuals who had not been citizens at the time they got their drivers license, or at the time they appeared on the SAVE list, had later become citizens. Thus Florida was removing some voters from the rolls in error.

The decision was 2-1. Thanks to PoliticalWire for the news.


Comments

Eleventh Circuit Rules that Florida Violated Federal Law in 2012 When it Trimmed Voter Registration Rolls — No Comments

  1. The usual suspect ENEMIES of Democracy want to have ILLEGAL Voters voting in the marginal gerrymander districts to enact the usual suspect COMMUNIST agenda items into laws.

    A person is or is NOT a LEGAL Elector/Voter when he/she registers or actually votes.

    How soon before Civil WAR II officially starts ???

    Unofficial start was in Oct 1929 — start of Great Depression I — the LOOTERS (getting govt cash) vs. the Tax Slaves.

  2. demo rep –

    Since the state of Florida is unable to give evidence that any significant number of illegal aliens attempted to vote in their elections (and by significant I mean a number that can’t fill a decent sized conference room), DESPITE the state’s Republicans’ illegal “caging” efforts, maybe YOU can present some evidence to support that argument?

    Give is some hard numbers, would you, instead of the usual right wing screed.

  3. You sure have it wrong. It is the Republicans who Gerrrymandered Congress and these were LEGAL voters, that is why they lost the court case bozo!

    By the way, do you even know what “Communist” means? It appears you are like 99.999% of the Tea party nuts who have not a clue what they are talking about!

  4. How many New Age usual suspect COMMUNIST enemies are on this list ???

    Super easy to be a spread the wealth COMMUNIST — using the income and assets of OTHER folks.

    See the dead 1917-1991 communist USSR regime — trying to being rebuilt by the ex-KGB Putin.

  5. Gov. Scott’s actions and rationale were sufficiently disingenuous and consistent with political advantage such that it’s most appropriate to introduce an article of impeachment.

    Voters should know which state representatives would join the list to co-introduce articles to impeach. Gov. Christ had the capacity to stand for voters when it offered no partisan advantage.

    There should be a heavy sanction for playing politics with voting/voters.

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