Florida Republicans' New Bill Would Criminalize Giving Voters Water, As in Georgia
Following Georgia’s new election law that criminalizes handing out food, drink, or anything else to voters waiting in line to cast ballots, Republicans in Florida are now considering similar restrictions.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, a provision added to Florida House Bill 7041 would expand on the concept of “illegal solicitation” in Florida. That means, regardless of what’s being given out, no matter how innocent and seemingly nonpolitical (like passing out water to voters in a state known for its sweltering temperatures), if the bill is signed into law the act of attempting to distribute would become a misdemeanor.
This comes on the heels of Georgia lawmakers’ move to ban distributing food and water to voters waiting in line as part of Senate Bill 202, which was signed into law last week. Critics have called both measures suppressive and anti-democratic.
In Georgia, the sweeping voting law seems to disproportionately target Black voters, who statistically wait in some of the longest lines in the country. Fulton County, which is home to Atlanta, has a disproportionate number of Black voters. Last Thursday, three voting rights groups, including Stacey Abrams’s New Georgia Project, the Black Voters Matter Fund, and Rise, Inc. filed a lawsuit against state election officials.
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/florida-georgia-republicans-food-water-voters
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