Judge denies rehearing challenge to DeSantis’ election integrity law, dismisses racism claims
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office said U.S. District Judge Mark Walker’s ruling on the elections law from 2021 was “clearly wrong” following the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals voting against rehearing the reversal of elections provisions signed into law in 2021.
Florida’s election law (SB 90) strengthened voter identification, prohibited the mass mailing of ballots, banned ballot harvesting, and prohibited private money from administering Florida elections.
In April 2022, Walker ruled that parts of the Florida law were unconstitutional and discriminatory, and in May 2022, a federal appeals court reinstated the law.
Jeremy Redfern, DeSantis’ press secretary, said the court “rightly voted against rehearing the reversal of an activist judge and affirmed, yet again, Florida’s common-sense elections provisions signed into law by Governor DeSantis in 2021.”
“We will continue to fight to make Florida’s elections secure, efficient, and transparent,” Redfern said.
Redfern said the printing costs of Walker’s rulings “far exceed the value of the rulings themselves.”
The League of Women Voters of Florida along with the Black Voters Matter Fund and other groups filed a lawsuit challenging the legislation. The groups claimed it makes it more difficult for Floridians to cast their ballot, with a disproportionate impact on elderly voters, voters with disabilities, students and communities of color.
“What are the supposedly racist provisions that the district judge enjoined officials from enforcing? They are unremarkable, race-neutral policies designed to bolster election security, maintain order at the polls, and ensure that voter registration forms are delivered on time,” Circuit Judge William Pryor wrote in the ruling.
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