Florida Student ID Ban Challenge

A pro-voting lawsuit challenging Florida’s ban on the use of a student ID for voting.

Background

The Florida State Conference of Branches and Youth Units of the NAACP sued Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and other local elections officials for suddenly removing “Student IDs from the list of acceptable forms of voter ID.” This comes after Florida passed HB 991, removing student IDs as an acceptable form of identification for voting. Florida had accepted student IDs for more than twenty years. The complaint alleges that this was a targeted attack on students and will disenfranchise young voters. The NAACP seeks to block the defendants from enforcing the student ID ban.

Why it matters

Florida’s new student ID ban is the latest in a string of Republican efforts to restrict voting access in the state via HB 991, including attempts to require proof of citizenship. However, there is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in the state, and as plaintiffs state in the complaint, the legislature failed to present any evidence of fraud arising from school-issued identification when it passed the new restriction. The ban places a significant burden on student voters, particularly those who are low-income, lack transportation, or live with their parents and cannot reasonably establish residency requirements.

Latest Updates

• Oct. 16, 2026: The NAACP filed its complaint.