Judge Blocks Fla. Voter Registration LawBy CURT ANDERSON
The Associated Press
Monday, August 28, 2006; 1:29 PM
MIAMI -- A federal judge on Monday declared a new Florida voter registration
law unconstitutional, ruling that its stiff penalties for violations threaten
free speech rights and that political parties were improperly exempted.
The 48-page ruling by U.S. District Judge Patricia Seitz means that state
authorities cannot enforce the provisions of the law. It took effect Jan. 1 and
has been blamed by several labor unions and nonprofit groups for effectively
blocking voter registration drives across the state because of the financial risk.
-snip-The law also "unconstitutionally discriminates" against third-party registration
groups because it does not apply to political parties, Seitz added.
The law imposes fines of $250 for each form that is submitted to election officials
more than 10 days after it is collected from an individual and can reach $5,000
for each form that is collected but never submitted.
-snip- Full article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/28/AR2006082800502.html