Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act into law on Wednesday, immediately triggering a federal lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. The law, officially House Bill 991, requires both prospective and current voters to provide documentary proof of U.S. citizenship to register or remain eligible to vote.

Lawsuit Filed by Voting Rights Groups

A coalition of voting rights and civil rights organizations, including UnidosUS, the League of Women Voters of Florida, and Florida Rising Together, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. The complaint names Florida’s secretary of state and several county election supervisors as defendants.

“Florida has enacted a law that will make it harder for eligible U.S. citizens to vote—and for some, impossible,” the lawsuit states. Plaintiffs argue the new requirements will unduly burden eligible voters and potentially lead to the erroneous removal of citizens from voter rolls.

Details of the Florida SAVE Act

The Florida SAVE Act mandates that voters provide specific documentation to verify their U.S. citizenship. Acceptable forms of proof include:

  • A REAL ID-compliant identification indicating citizenship
  • A valid U.S. passport
  • Certain military identification paired with a U.S. birth record
  • Specific government-issued photo IDs showing birthplace
  • A Consular Report of Birth Abroad
  • A certified U.S. birth certificate meeting specified criteria
  • A naturalization or citizenship certificate
  • An American Indian Card marked “KIC”

Governor DeSantis Defends the Law

During a press conference in The Villages, Florida, Governor DeSantis described the measure as a crucial step in bolstering election security. “Safeguarding the electoral process to improve oversight and prevent unlawful influence has been a top priority for my administration since my first days in office,” DeSantis stated. He further emphasized, “This legislation strengthens the security, transparency, and reliability of Florida’s election system.”

Federal Context and Public Opinion

The Florida SAVE Act was enacted after a similar federal proposal, the SAVE America Act, stalled in the U.S. Senate. The federal bill aims to establish nationwide proof-of-citizenship requirements for voter registration. A recent poll conducted March 13-16 indicated that 59% of Americans support requiring proof of citizenship to vote, while 29% oppose it.

Other States Consider Similar Legislation

Mississippi lawmakers are also advancing a citizenship-verification voting bill, known as the SHIELD Act, which would utilize state and federal data to verify voter citizenship.

Concerns Raised by Advocacy Groups

Tessa Petit, Executive Director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, expressed strong opposition to the law, stating, “This bill, under false pretenses, creates roadblocks meant to hinder our ability to vote, and silences the voices of Black and brown communities, naturalized citizens, young people, and low-income voters.” She added, “If this law stands, thousands of U.S. citizens will be removed from Florida's voter rolls.”

The lawsuit seeks both declaratory and injunctive relief to prevent the challenged provisions of the law from taking effect. The state-level legislation is scheduled to go into effect in 2027. The federal lawsuit will proceed in U.S. District Court, with plaintiffs seeking an injunction to halt enforcement during litigation.