Advancement Project National Office Condemns New Anti-Voting Rights Law in Florida that Creates Office of Election Crimes, Mandates Special Voter-Fraud Police Officers

FLORIDA – Moments ago, Governor DeSantis signed into law a bill passed by the Republican Florida legislature that claims to fight “voter fraud” by creating an Office of Election Crimes and mandating the appointment of “special” members of law enforcement. 

This comes on the heels of the conclusion of a trial challenging SB 90, another anti-voting rights measure in Florida. This law was successfully challenged in court by several national and Florida civil rights and voting rights groups, including Advancement Project. Similar anti-voting rights bills are popping up in other states, like Georgia and Texas. 

In response, Judith Browne Dianis, Executive Director of the Advancement Project National Office, a national civil rights organization, issued the following statement:

“As has been proven time and time again, claims of voter fraud are a dog whistle meant to provide cover for laws that make it nearly impossible for communities of color to cast their ballots. All these bills do is intimidate voters of color and make it more difficult to vote freely, effectively calling into question whether our elections can be free, fair and accessible. 

“Picking and choosing which voters to hear and which to silence is against the values of our democracy. This is the latest of more than 400 new anti-voting laws across 49 states introduced in the last year, which have worked to silence the rising majority of Black, Latinx, Asian, and Indigenous voters.”

“We must fight against voter suppression before it happens. Our communities deserve to have their voices heard and participate in electing officials that create the laws that govern us.”

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