On July 19, the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition filed a federal lawsuit to force the state of Florida to help ex-felons know if they are eligible to register to vote. Florida Rights Restoration Coalition v DeSantis, s.d., 1:23cv-22688. Here is the Complaint.

In November 2018, the voters of Florida passed Amendment 4, which allows ex-felons to register to vote. However, they cannot do so until they have paid all costs associated with their prior conviction, such as fines, court costs, and restitution. Seven percent of the adult citizens of Florida are ex-felons, approximately 1,400,000 people. In Florida they often have great difficulty knowing whether or not they have paid everything that is required.

In Alabama, by contrast, any ex-felon may ask the state for a determination of eligibility. Alabama responds within 44 days, and if Alabama determines the applicant is free to register, Alabama gives the applicant a voter eligibility card. Florida has no such service, but instead has an “election police unit” which seeks out ineligible voters and prosecutes them. The lawsuit asks the court to rule that due process requires the state to help individuals assess their eligibility.

The case was originally assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Kathleen M. Williams, an Obama appointee, but on July 21 she recused herself, and a new judge hasn’t been selected.