Florida, Mississippi Enact Voter Citizenship Proof Laws

Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida and Tate Reeves of Mississippi signed legislation this week requiring additional verification of citizenship for voter registration, joining a trend in several states amid a stalled federal effort to impose similar rules nationwide.

The measures, enacted on Wednesday, aim to ensure only U.S. citizens participate in elections by mandating documentary proof when eligibility is questioned. In Florida, the law requires new voters or those whose status is flagged through database cross-checks to provide a birth certificate, passport or naturalization certificate. It also restricts acceptable forms of identification at polling places, excluding student IDs, credit cards and retirement community cards, while requiring driver's licenses to indicate citizenship status starting in July 2027. The citizenship verification provision takes effect January 1.

Within hours of DeSantis's signature, a coalition of civil rights organizations, including the ACLU and League of Women Voters of Florida, filed a federal lawsuit in South Florida. The groups argue the requirements impose undue burdens on eligible voters, particularly naturalized citizens, elderly...