U.S. appeals court reinstates Florida voting limits that judge had deemed discriminatory
Source: Reuters
NEW YORK, May 6 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Friday reinstated Florida's new Republican-backed voting restrictions, overruling a judge's decision that several provisions such as limits on ballot drop boxes were racially discriminatory.
U.S. Judge Mark Walker in Tallahassee had struck down the bulk of the law in March, finding that lawmakers had designed the legislation to be "intentionally discriminatory" against Black voters. He also ordered the state to seek court approval to make any changes to the provisions in question for the next 10 years.
But a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted the state's request to block his decision, noting that Florida's primary election takes place in August - too soon, the judges said, to allow for changes to election rules.
Friday's order reinstates new restrictions on the use of drop boxes and on third-party organizations' ability to collect voter registration forms. In addition, the law includes a provision that bans groups from offering food, water and other aid to people waiting in line to vote.
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May 6, 2022
1:51 PM EDT
Last Updated an hour ago
By Joseph Ax
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/us-appeals-court-reinstates-florida-voting-limits-that-judge-had-deemed-2022-05-06/
Alternate link: https://news.yahoo.com/u-appeals-court-reinstates-florida-173540878.html
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