Due to changes in the law, all Florida voters who vote by mail must submit a NEW mail ballot request to their county Supervisor of Elections. The last day to request a vote-by-mail ballot is 5pm, 10 days before the election. Photo image courtesy of League of Women Voters
By Tanya Landry, League of Women Voters of North Pinellas County
If you’re a Florida voter, here’s something you need to know: the state legislature is considering a bill that could make voting way more complicated. The proposed Election Integrity Act (HB 991/SB 1334) would require all voters in Florida—new and existing—to re-verify their citizenship just to keep voting.
Here’s how it could affect you:
- – Your voting record would be checked against a government database.
- – If your info doesn’t match—maybe your last name changed after marriage or divorce—you’d need to provide extra proof of citizenship.
- – That could mean digging up a birth certificate or even getting a passport.
Why this matters:
- – Over 8 million Floridians don’t have a passport.
- – Over 4.7 million women in Florida don’t have a birth certificate that matches their current legal name.
- – Florida has already been passing laws that make voting harder, like changing polling – places or tightening ID requirements—especially impacting students and seniors.
Sound familiar? That’s because Florida’s bill is modeled after the national Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which is currently in the U.S. Senate. Supporters say it’s about preventing illegal voting, but the reality is that voter fraud in Florida is extremely rare, and illegal voters face serious penalties anyway.
In short: this bill could add unnecessary barriers for millions of legal voters—at a time when the cost of living (and passports) is high.
What You Can Do
You don’t have to sit this out. Here’s how to stay ready to vote:
- 1. Spread the word. Share this info with friends, family, and classmates.
- 2. Check your documents. Find your birth certificate and make sure your ID is current.
- 3. Get a passport if you can. Even if you mostly vote in person, it’s better to be prepared.
- 4. Check your voter registration. Use VOTE411.org.
- 5. Register to vote if you haven’t yet. Don’t wait—do it now.
- 6. Request a mail ballot. Even if you plan to vote in person, this is a backup that lets you study issues at home. You can drop it off at your local Supervisor of Elections office (Hillsborough: votehillsborough.gov, Pinellas: votepinellas.gov, Pasco: pascovotes.gov).
- 7. Consider early voting if you plan to vote in person.
Civil rights icon John Lewis once said, “The vote is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have to change our world.” Make sure your voice is heard—your vote matters.
Take action: Contact your Florida House and Senate reps today:
- – Florida House: flhouse.gov
- – Florida Senate: flsenate.gov
Tell them to vote against HB 991/SB 1334 and make voting easier, not harder.
Tanya Landry President, League of Women Voters of North Pinellas County
Empowering Voters, Defending Democracy
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