The U.S. Department of Justice has filed an amicus brief supporting Florida plaintiffs who are challenging voting restrictions contained in a new state law as violations of the federal Voting Rights Act.
The League of Women Voters (LWV) of Florida and other groups challenged the legality of Senate Bill 90 in federal courts, arguing that the law’s ban on assisting voters lined up at precincts by handing out water, snacks or fans and its restrictions on the use of ballot drop boxes amounted to intentional discrimination against minority voters.
A federal district judge, Mark Walker, agreed with plaintiffs on several of their arguments and enjoined several provisions of SB 90. But the case is now on appeal before the 11th Circuit.
“The court should affirm the district court’s ultimate findings that three provisions of SB 90 were motivated, at least in part, by racially discriminatory intent in violation of Section 2 of the (Voting Rights Act),” the Justice Department’s Aug. 17 amicus brief states.
The district court also faulted SB 90’s limitations on the ways third-party voter registration groups can engage in voter registration drives.
Cecile Scoon, president of the Florida LWV, said plaintiffs were happy with the federal government’s actions and the Justice Department’s support for the district court’s conclusions.
“The court had determined that there had been over 20 years of intentional discrimination against African-American voters, which is frightening and terrifying," Scoon told the Florida Record. “... It's truly rare when you have a court literally make a finding of intentional discrimination of a (voting) system."
The amicus brief also argued that the district court had correctly concluded Florida lawmakers sought to intentionally discriminate against Black voters by restricting methodologies that had led to increased Black voter turnout.
“I think it’s one of the most important and compelling rulings that we’ll see on voting rights in the next 10 years,” Scoon said.
Oral arguments in the case in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals are scheduled for Sept. 15.