Nothing is more fundamental to our democracy than the right to vote. A system of fair and open elections in which all qualified citizens — regardless of gender, race, socioeconomic status or any other category — may cast a vote and have it accurately counted is the backbone of our democracy.
For decades, the ACLU has been instrumental in fighting some of the most egregious discriminatory practices at the polls. But since those victories have been won, new threats to voting rights in Florida have emerged: photo ID requirements, restrictions on voter registration, limiting the number of early voting days, and systematic purges of registered voters, and unfounded allegations of fraud. These voter suppression tactics disproportionately impact racial and language minorities, the elderly, and student voters.
From working to solve elections problems that arose in the 2000 presidential election in Florida, to defending the Voting Rights Act in the face of voter suppression legislation, the ACLU of Florida works to ensure that all citizens can exercise their right to vote.