Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the Florida SAVE Act into law. State officials say the measures are aimed at strengthening election security, increasing the accuracy of voter rolls and increasing transparency in the state’s election system.
The bill, passed as House Bill 991, builds on a series of election-related reforms enacted in Florida since the 2020 election cycle. State leaders said previous changes included stricter identification requirements for mail-in voting, limits on third-party ballot collection, a ban on unsolicited mass mail-in ballot applications and limits on private funding for election administration. Florida also created an Election Crimes and Safety Bureau in 2022 to investigate and prosecute election law violations.
Under the new law, voter registration procedures will be updated to require verification of U.S. citizenship using REAL ID data for new and renewal registrations. The measure also establishes a process to identify and remove potentially ineligible noncitizens from voter rolls while allowing individuals to submit documentation to verify their eligibility. Additionally, the legislation also adds explicit notice that submitting false voter registration information is a felony.
The SAVE Act includes provisions aimed at improving the maintenance of voter rolls by increasing coordination between state and local agencies. Election supervisors are required to investigate reported registrations and take appropriate action if necessary. The law also requires voting to be conducted using paper ballots to ensure a verifiable record and updates identification requirements to limit acceptable forms of identification to protect government-issued credentials.
The measure also includes new requirements for candidates. Candidates must ensure that they meet all legal qualifications to hold public office and disclose their dual citizenship status. Federal candidates will be required to report their stock trading activity while in office, and the law will create a legal process to challenge a candidate’s eligibility. It would also limit last-minute name changes that could confuse voters.
The law further strengthens enforcement provisions, including establishing a five-year statute of limitations for felony election violations and prohibiting candidates, political committees, and political parties from knowingly accepting foreign contributions. State officials say the changes are aimed at deterring election-related fraud and strengthening public confidence in the election process.
