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On Tuesday, two more advocacy groups joined in on a federal lawsuit against Florida’s new law targeting citizen-led ballot initiatives.
The organizations say the law is an attack on voters’ rights.
The League of Women Voters of Florida and the League of United Latin American Citizens filed a motion to intervene on the lawsuit filed by Florida Decides Healthcare.
Among other hurdles, the law shortens the time-frame sponsors have to return signed petitions to Supervisors of Elections offices. It also requires voters to include an ID number (driver’s license, ID card, or SSN) when signing a petition.
Cecile Scoon is the co-president of the League of Women Voters of Florida.
“It’s an amazing process and something that we all hold dear. And this new law, 1205, really stomps on those rights and really makes it very, very difficult for the citizens to have their voice be heard,” Scoon told WMNF.
Scoon is named in the legal document.
“Our legislators should listen to us directly. But if they don’t, thank God, you know, we were given our citizens ballot initiative process. And right now the legislators have targeted the process to try to make it unreachable for the average citizen,” Scoon said.
Republican lawmakers have argued that the new law reduces fraud.
In 2024, four of the six amendments on the ballot, including a constitutional right to abortion and the legalization of recreational marijuana, did not meet the 60% of votes needed to be put in the state constitution.
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