Florida Citizenship Requirement Challenge (UNIDOSUS)

A pro-voting lawsuit challenging a Florida law requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register or remain eligible to vote.

Background

A coalition of pro-voting organizations filed a lawsuit against Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd (R) and local election officials over HB 991, a new law that requires both prospective and some existing voters to submit documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) to register or remain eligible to vote. The lawsuit specifically challenges four key provisions of the law: (1) the requirement that all voter registration applications be checked against Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) records for proof of citizenship (“General DPOC Registration Provisions”); (2) restrictions on online voter registration unless citizenship has already been verified (“Online Voter Registration Application Provision”); (3) a mandate to retroactively review the citizenship status of all currently registered voters and remove those who cannot provide documentation (“Retroactive DPOC Provision”); and (4) strict limits on the types of documents that qualify as acceptable proof of citizenship (“DPOC Type Provision”). Plaintiffs argue that these provisions unduly burden the right to vote under the First and Fourteenth Amendments. They seek a court order declaring the challenged provisions unconstitutional and blocking their enforcement.

Why It Matters

Florida is following a troubling pattern seen in other states that imposed DPOC requirements based on unfounded fears of widespread noncitizen voting. These laws have consistently disenfranchised eligible voters, particularly minority, low-income, young and elderly citizens who often face greater barriers to obtaining acceptable documentation. For example, Kansas’s 2011 law blocked over 30,000 qualified citizens from voting, and New Hampshire’s 2024 law similarly prevented large numbers of new registrants — up to 25-30% in some towns — from casting ballots. Florida’s HB 991 is even stricter, applying DPOC rules to both new and existing voters, making it likely to produce the same, or worse, effects.

Latest Updates

• April 1, 2026: Plaintiffs filed their complaint.